Canning
by DJ Dubois
Summary: Following "Slumber", Clark accepts Lana's invitation to hang out on the following Saturday. Lana offers to help Martha with a project. How will this affect things between Clark and Lana? Please r & r!
1. Clark's Realization

Canning

DJ Dubois

August 2019

Rating: T (Teen)

Notes Part 1: This story takes place after "Slumber." It also includes events from "Perry" even as it diverges from that episode.

Notes Part 2: Smallville belongs to DC and the CW. Any other characters mentioned mine. Please send comments to dante0220  .

Chapter 1 [Kent Farm—Right After the Events in "Slumber"]

_Luna _brushed her gentle light across the Kansas prairie. A hot breeze swayed the parched grasses. A few cows still roamed the back forty under the stars.

The residual heat had everyone thinking…..

Clark watched Lana's blazer drive back up the dirt road toward the highway. For once he had to admire his own good fortune. Most recently, he'd dealt with several walks on the wild and weird side even by his own standards. He'd lost several months in Kal's red meteor-driven escapade in Metropolis. He still dealt with the questions and doubts, both spoken and unspoken, of his friends and neighbors. Jor-El still lurked in the Caves and close by; his demands looming over Clark's head like a sword of Damocles. The spontaneous link with Sara Conroy illustrated Clark's limitations in dream realms. While in that dream world, he'd missed his history test, flipped a truck and nearly lost Lana. Most unfortunate however, he'd lost that relationship with Lana.

Despite this, however, Lana had offered him an outing…granted a friendly one…but an outing nonetheless. She proposed going to the lake for a swim. After urging him to open up and pushing to know what was going on, she offered him a way in. She was waiting for him.

_I can't screw this up. _He sighed. He ran his hands through his dark hair. _First the history test and then I can start setting things right with her. Sara's right. I can't push Lana away. I have to listen to love. There has to be a way I can balance everything. Right? _He glanced toward the history book sitting on the table beside the couch. _One thing at a time. Still she actually brought up Crater Lake! _He smiled at the thought of a pleasant picnic with her. Maybe he'd could open up on things without giving too many things away. _I can't believe I brought up the skinny dipping thing though. Really? _He rolled his eyes. Embarrassment tinted his cheeks with a scarlet streak. He could almost hear Pete chiding him. He imagined Lex rolling his eyes.

Casanova he wasn't….

"I'm trying to let you in, Lana. Really I am!" Clark called out to the darkened surroundings. He picked up his book and clomped down the wooden stairs. He could see that everything seemed in order around the barn. Now it was time to make sure he got enough sleep.

Even Kryptonians needed to pass their classes after all…..


	2. Memories

Chapter 2 [Saturday Morning—Kent Farm]

Clark clomped down the front stairs. Over the past week, he'd straightened as much as he could manage. He passed his history test. He met his deadlines in class and with _The Torch_. He caught up on his sleep. Even if he didn't have a truck at the moment, he could still run circles around other vehicles on the black top. Best of all, Lana seemed to be looking forward to their day out….

…that is even though she'd stipulated 'as friends'….

_I'm just glad she wants to be around. I'll take what I can get. Hopefully we can get some sandwiches at that little store by the lake. _He told himself just to take this boon and see where it led to. _She is a friend. She wants to be in my life. Maybe I should let her and not make it so hard. _He rolled his eyes.

Maybe if the rest of his life didn't make it so hard…..

He discovered Martha rooting through the far kitchen cabinet. "Hey, Mom. That time already?"

She nodded. 'The crabapples are weighing down the branches in the back. Besides Riley's just emailed me. They have fresh blueberries, raspberries and strawberries for sale. Maybe I might go to Dillons and get some cherries as well."

His mouth watered. "Maybe I can run up there to get some fruit after school this week?"

"Your Dad's bringing some things back from Dodge on Monday. I'm going to stock up on canning supplies. If you can get up to Riley's this week, that'd be great," she informed him.

"You know I love that place. If I can get some strawberries, maybe you could make that pie?" he supposed.

She chuckled seeing through to his ulterior motive. "Sure, Clark. It'd be a great treat especially since it's been so hot. You know that Lana's mother taught me the recipe?"

"Mrs. Lang did?" he queried.

"Yes she did." She wiped the counter down with a damp rag. Then she set a couple of jars on it. A wistful smile spread across her face. "It seems like yesterday. Lana would like to hear as well, I'm sure."

He exhaled sharply. Almost like a child standing in front of a great wrapped gift at Christmas, he wanted to experience her tale. Still he knew it would be the right thing to wait for Lana and let her share in it. Besides he also wanted Lana to experience that bit of _Memoria's _magic for herself. "It's great that neighbors help each other."

"It's what gets us through," Martha agreed. "I will say Mrs. Lang was a great help. Lana's parents were the first neighbors to greet me after I married your Dad. She offered recipes and friendship."

"Sounds really great, Mom," he indicated. Once again, he wished the Langs had been spared from the meteors' wrath. For Lana to grow up without Nell's overprotectiveness. For his parents so they could have their friends. For himself, so he'd have another pair of positive influences around.

A knocking at the door interrupted hia reverie. He glanced through the screen to find Lana holding a tray of Talon To Go cups and a paper bag. "Hey, Lana!" He stumbled but managed to catch himself. Then he went for the door.

Lana giggled. "Careful, Clark. I know the coffee's good but…."

He held the screen door open. "Must be those beans. Huh?" He gazed directly into her eyes. Once again he felt lost in their orbit.

"It's all right, Clark," Lana assured him. She of course felt the same tug that he did. Still she wanted to maintain her resolve (at least until she could see how things would work out). "Looks like you really need this."

"Come in, Lana. Glad to see you have a great morning," Martha invited. "Thank you for bringing the coffee."

Lana smiled. "My pleasure. I figured Clark could use a caffeine fix after his chores and everything." She handed him the furthest cup on the left. "That's for you."

"Thanks, Lana." He sampled the java and nodded. "Still know how I like it."

"Kind of watched you fix it enough, Clark," Lana jabbed wryly. She added a smirk for emphasis. Then she apologized, "Sorry I didn't know what you take in yours, Mrs. Kent."

Martha assured her, "It's okay." She took a glass bottle from the fridge and poured some into the coffee. Then she added sugar and stirred up the whirlpool in her mug. As she did so, she could feel the underlying attraction between the two teens. "As we were just talking about, you're carrying on your parents' tradition, Lana."

"Oh?" Lana exchanged curious looks with him.

"Mom was just talking about your mother and how great a friend she was," he noted.

"That's great." Lana's eyes sparkled. "A few folks around town say the same thing. Shame that Nell doesn't talk about her that much."

"Lewis and Laura were wonderful friends. You have a lot to be proud of. Clark was asking about strawberry pie. That was your family's recipe. She gave it to me," Martha indicated.

"Nell made it a few times but it wasn't as good as yours, Mrs. Kent. Talk about a small world," Lana noted. "Definitely would be a hit at the Talon." She glanced at the canning jars sitting on the counter. "Isn't it a little early for canning?"

"Usually. Fruit's coming in early this year. I thought I'd get a head start on the crabapples. I was just telling Clark about the fruit at Riley's," Martha replied.

"Nell says Mom and Dad loved that place. I can see why." Lana smiled and took a sip from her coffee. "Maybe we can take a run by there after school next week? Then I can learn the recipe."

"I'd be glad to show you," Martha agreed. "I'll give Clark a list. I know you're busy at the Talon so…."

Lana shook her head. "Lex wanted me to take a week for myself. We have plenty of help. I check in and make sure everything's going all right. But this would be a good project for me." She considered the jars again. "Did Mom do this too?"

"She sure did. She made the best cherry preserves. Well whatever you can do, I'd really appreciate it, Lana," Martha told her.

For his part, he sat back and admired the conversation between the two women. Everything lay in front of himself. He hoped that it wasn't a dream. He sipped on his coffee and just admired things.

"Clark can help me haul that fruit here. Got to make him earn that pie. Right?" Lana supposed with that teasing edge to her voice.

"Oh I have no doubt he'll pick out the best fruit," Martha agreed.

He nodded knowing that his father looked forward to that dessert too. "Everyone's counting on me. I can't let them down." He looked right at Lana as he said that.

"Just do what you do and everything will be fine," Lana declared. "In the meantime, I brought some chicken and potato salad for our picnic, Clark. We can do our swimming. Maybe we'll do a quick run to Riley's afterwards?" She opened the bag. From that she produced three bran muffins. "Fresh this morning. Not as good as yours, Mrs. Kent, but well…."

"It's the thought that makes it great, Lana. Thank you. Let's eat up. Then you two can get going before the heat gets too bad," Martha told her. She reached back into the fridge for some butter.

He nodded to himself. Everything seemed just fine…..


	3. Lana's Observation

Chapter 3 [Crater Lake—Two Hours Later]

Clark bobbed to the water's surface. His eyes surveyed the pristine area. _Sol's _light glistened on the lake. What little wind wafted through the air conveying more heat across the area. He marveled how empty the lake seemed on such a day. He'd expected other teens to have the same idea.

Maybe he shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Just like in the start of his dream, he and Lana shared this paradise by themselves…..

A splash in his back jarred him back to reality.

"Hey! Don't space out on me now!" Lana quirked an eyebrow at him. She smirked.

"Just enjoying the view…" he started before switching to a more PC tone, "…over there."

She giggled. "It's okay, Clark. Friends can compliment each other." She reclined on her back and started into a backstroke showing off the pink bikini. "Glad you like this new bathing suit." _Mischief _sparkled in her eyes.

"Lana…." He bowed his head. "I…"

She softened her expression. "I know. You think more of me than just this." She motioned toward herself again. "That's why I trust you. It's just the way you came out with it in the barn the other night." She chuckled. "I know you were dreaming it. Besides there is what Sarah told me too."

"She told you?" His mind spun trying to digest all of the possible implications from such a conversation.

"Relax, Clark. She saw how much you care about me. She wanted me to know that and to be patient. She should be a lawyer," she noted.

"We help each other…all of us," he agreed. "So you're unwinding?"

"It is nice and tranquil. You?" she concurred.

"Yeah no chores, school or _Torch_. Must be the company," he supposed.

"Well good!" She uncorked another splash in his direction.

He grinned at her. "Could be. Keep that up."

"Keep that up and what?" she challenged with (yet another) splash.

He splashed her right back. "That! Glad I'm getting your trust back. That means a lot to me."

She stopped to catch her breath. She did several strokes to keep herself afloat in that one place. "Clark, I know you'd never hurt me. You weren't in your right mind in Metropolis." She rubbed his shoulder. "Can I be honest?"

Nerves darkened his outlook. He felt the air coming out of his balloon. "Okay. Lay it on me."

She smiled. "It's okay. I just want us both to have space. I want to be with you. I know you want to be with me. It's just that when we get to the point of dating, you get pressured. Maybe we just need to take it slower? Build things up slower? If you want to talk with me about anything, I'm here."

He nodded. "I don't want to pressure you either, Lana. I just feel like I've waited for you my entire life. I don't want to lose you. I've never cared for anyone like you."

"Thanks. Clark, you won't lose me. Just be honest and caring," she assured him.

He looked at her earnestly. "I just want to get things together. So much has happened since last spring. I'm still putting the pieces back as they were. I don't want to drag you into my problems. I don't want to hurt you again."

"I appreciate that, Clark. But let me ask….is trying to deal with your problems by yourself really working?" She swam around letting her thoughts coalesce.

He didn't follow her meaning. "What do you mean? I mean what I'm saying."

"Of course you do! Why do you think we're here? I know that. Do you remember after Van went to jail? I talked to you while you were in your Mom's garden? I told you that you need to let people in," she replied.

"You said I'd miss out on something pretty amazing if I didn't," he recalled. "Lana, I have really big issues. People…"

"People what, Clark? Could get hurt?" she supposed. "Don't forget. I found you muttering in the middle of that blown up storm shelter. Before that, you were acting all strange as if hearing voices." She exhaled allowing them both a few heartbeats. "And then there was the standoff with those creeps from Metro at the farm. It's great to want to deal with your issues. That's an adult thing to do. Problem is you're dragging us into them too."

"Lana, what do you mean? Trouble at the farm?" He could see that she was making a connection to the damage and what he'd done to the Ship.

She motioned toward shore. "Maybe we should talk on the blanket. Meet you back there." She started back in that direction.

_What happened? _He panicked. He didn't remember much about Edge's goons trying to kidnap him. He did recall them using a green meteor rock but not much else. _What did I bring to everyone now? _He dove under the water and streaked toward shore like a cruise missile. Somehow he remembered to slow down to mere human speed once he neared the shore. He walked onto the grass; his mind somehow composing itself with each passing step.

Meantime though she stopped at the sight of his beating him to their spot. She glanced back toward their starting point. Then she saw him approaching the blanket. "How did he…?" She narrowed her eyes. Once again the Mystery of Clark Kent reared its problematic head for her. "I had a head start." She sped up her own strokes and reached the grass.

He waited for her. Still he knew her puzzled expression. _Great. What did I do now?_

She considered him anew. Then she sat down next to him. "You really should try out for the swim team, Clark."

"You wanted to talk up here. I swam back." He shrugged while trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

She rolled her eyes. "I had a four stroke head start on you, Clark. That's pretty impressive." Once again, she recalled the previous year's twisters, the fires and the broken frozen pipes in the Talon. Once more she guessed that there was more going on than he was telling her. "Just saying."

"Yeah." He nodded while trying to think of what to say. He knew Jonathan would not be happy if he shared the Secret with her. "Maybe we're both thinking of what to say?"

"Maybe." She didn't want to let him evade the question (again). "Tell you what. I'll tell you what happened at the farm if you make me a promise."

"Uh okay. If I can." Once again his stomach twisted itself into knots.

"Someday, Clark, can you promise me that you will tell me how these things keep happening?" She leaned close to him. "I have faith that it's okay. Just assure me that I will find out when you're ready to tell me?"

He sucked in a deep breath. "That's fair. Lana, I promise." He took her hands in his and gazed into her eyes. "I'll tell you when it's time."

She smiled knowing he was being sincere. "I appreciate that, Clark. Thank you." She put two paper plates down. "Want lunch first or the rest of the story?"

He was clearly torn. On the one hand, he didn't want to hear what had happened because of his actions. On the other hand, he had to know. Because he cared, the latter impulse won out in that tug of war. "The rest of the story if you're okay with it."

"Fair enough." She took another deep breath. "Some men followed you back from Metro apparently. They had a meteor taped to you and your folks tied up in the barn. They did the same to me and were about to kill us." She shuddered. "I managed to get my feet free and take them on. One of them though…he…." She bowed her head. Her face paled. She trembled.

"He…what? Lana, what happened? If you need a minute…." he both nudged and hedged at the same time.

"It's okay." She wiped a stray tear from her eye. "The guy was impaled on a pitchfork. I know it was self-defense. Sheriff Adams said I had no choice…that it was either him or us. Still, Clark, he's dead."

His mind went numb. He couldn't believe that he'd caused that. She was the last person he'd consider capable of that. And yet she had because of him. "I'm sorry, Lana. I…."

"You didn't invite them to do that, Clark. You came back to us. You were trying to move on. They chose to do that. It isn't your fault," she absolved him. "Still it does prove the point. Sometimes we all need to have help. The rest of us see things you can't." She spooned some potato salad onto a plate. She added a fried chicken breast and a leg. Then she handed it to him. "That good?"

"Looks great. Thanks," he accepted. He mulled over what she'd shared with him. Despite what his parents had always told him and believed for themselves, his actions were having consequences to everyone else. Other parties, be they Earther or Kryptonian, pressed to know about him and control what he could do. "Maybe we can talk to my folks?"

She looked into his eyes and found what she'd wanted to know there. "They're telling you to keep things bottled up. Aren't they?" She squeezed his hands. "Absolutely. I want them to know that you can trust me. It's going to be okay. I just want some answers. I can keep a secret." She fixed herself a plate.

_Can she deal with Jor-El and the other stuff? _He bit into a spoonful of potato salad. His mind already moving toward the discussion between his parents and Lana. He imagined the evasions and then fireworks.

"It's going to be okay, Clark," she assumed. "Now eat up. We are supposed to be having fun today. Let's get our swimming in. Then maybe we can browse a little at Riley's? Maybe they might have some of those strawberries?" Her eyes glittered. "Don't want you to go without that pie. Now do I?" She smirked.

He nodded; his mood lifting slightly from her observation. She definitely knew what he liked. He hoped she could deal with the other stuff too.

That would be the question…..


	4. Outing's Positive Turn

Chapter 4 [About 1 PM]

The rest of the picnic swung back and forth in an emotional tug of war. Most of the time, the two teens enjoyed their food. They did share some anecdotes and admired the views. They cooled off one more time in Crater Lake's cool waters.

Still conditions eroded their perfect backdrop. Clark worried about what Lana and his parents would talk about. Lana still wondered about Clark's Olympic caliber swimming pace earlier. And that wasn't counting the influx of their classmates and families which finally descended on the lake themselves.

Time for them to move on….

Lana glanced over at Clark after making the left turn back onto the state road. She could clearly see his distraction. She tapped on the steering wheel. _I want answers still I meant what I said earlier. Why are his parents so against opening up? So he swims really fast? _"Clark?"

"Hmm?" He turned from the window. He'd been studying the trees and grass allowing nature to soothe his troubled mind and heart. "Sorry, Lana. I spaced there."

"Clark Kent, Space Cadet. Kind of has a ring to it," she teased. She smirked. "Always looking for the hidden meanings of life?"

_More than you know. _He nodded. "Some times. Dad says that we should be aware of everything." He smiled for her benefit. "Sorry, Lana, I got distracted."

"It's okay. I laid that stuff on you earlier. We both have a lot to think about. Still that's why we're here as you put it earlier, right? We can talk and hear each other out," she assured him.

"Exactly! Whatever happens, I will always be there for you, Clark. You're going to be there for me. That isn't going to change," she affirmed. "Maybe we should call your Mom? She could tell you what she needs for the canning?"

"Yeah that." His mind kept coming back to the inevitable conversation between his parents and Lana. He knew the arguments and sullen bouts of silence could stifle any chance between Lana and him. He considered his phone in silence for several heartbeats. His fingers hesitated to dial the numbers.

"Clark, it's just Riley's and fruit. It's not like we're eloping or anything," she noted. Then she sighed realizing that she'd just added to the tension in the air. "Sorry. That just came out."

"It's okay. I know what you mean." He shot her the Kent grin. Then he dialed his mother's phone.

"Hi, Clark! It's really early to be coming back. Everything all right?" Martha answered.

"Hi, Mom. Lana and I decided it was time. We got our swimming and lunch in. Then the lake started getting busy." He leaned back against the seat. "What do we need at Riley's?"

"Clark, it's okay. I don't want to interfere with your day. You can go next week," Martha declined.

"We actually want to go this afternoon. I remember strawberries and raspberries," he replied trying to make her feel better.

"Blueberries and maybe some peaches if they have any. Thank you, Clark." Martha listened intently. She detected that something was off. Still she would file the notion away for a later time. Right now she wanted to pick his mood up. "Maybe you can take her for an ice cream?"

He perked up at the suggestion. "She'd like that." He grinned at her.

Lana relaxed as he seemed to do the same. _Whatever you just said, Mrs. Kent, just made him feel better. Just go with it, Lana. _

"Take your time. Make sure she's having fun too. Okay?" Martha reminded him.

"We're doing fine, Mom. Thanks. You want us to bring you back anything?" he insisted.

"Maybe some fudge ripple or vanilla? Your Dad would like some when he gets in tonight from the grange. That'll be a great treat with dinner. Maybe Lana might like to join us?" Martha suggested.

"Sounds great. Did Dad do okay in Dodge?" he queried.

"He sounded upbeat. Let's hope the Grange got some good prices," Martha informed him. "He'll be wrapping things up this afternoon. Meantime you and Lana enjoy your afternoon. All right?"

"Okay, Mom." He hung up and slid the phone back into his jeans pocket. "Mom's added peaches to the list."

Lana smiled. "Peach preserves sound really yummy actually. I wish I could be as inventive as your Mom is."

"She picks things up and plays with other stuff to see what works." He shrugged. "And then folks like your Mom and Dad really inspire her too."

"Kind of a circle of life thing." Lana's eyes sparkled at him. "Well we share our dreams. That inspires too. Right?"

"Right. And then there's Brown's too. I know how you like their cherry vanilla," he proposed.

"Mmm…you, Mr. Kent, drive a hard bargain. Fruit and ice cream on a day like this?" She regarded him with a broader smirk and a small nod.

"It's our day, Lana. Might as well enjoy. Right?" he noted.

She turned the blazer into the dirt lot. She parked close to the wooden slat fence just beyond the one floor brown stained building. "Let's hope it hasn't been picked clean."

"We're just coming into harvest. I'm sure they'll have plenty. Maybe you might want to bring some stuff back for the restaurant?" he assured her.

"I'll bring it up with Lex this week." She imagined the fresh produce on the granola and maybe in the baked goods. _Maybe we could offer Mrs; Kent's preserves for sale? _"If he agrees, maybe I could get a hand with it?"

"Definitely. I'm sure Dad will let me bring his truck." He sighed. "Wish I still had mine. I still can't believe I fell asleep behind the wheel like that."

"I'm glad you made it out of there." She kept a straight face. Still that incident raised more questions for her as well. _How did he make it out of there? Did his folks ever call a doctor? _"Maybe we should be grateful for small favors. Right?"

"Right." He worried she might've made a bigger issue out of that given their earlier conversation. _At least she wants a great time like I do. _He got out of the vehicle. He could see a few other shoppers milling over the selection inside. "I see stuff for pies, preserves and muffins inside."

"Well then we shouldn't keep it waiting. Should we?" she supposed with a bit of mirth in her voice. She led him up the well-worn foot path and into the store. She took note of a blonde girl ringing up a few sales at the register and the three rows of crated produce just to their right. "Looks like we hit it just right."

"Yeah looks like it." He took a wicker basket from a stack of them. "Follow me."

"Taking charge, are we? Show me your technique, Professor," she gibed.

"Just experience, Lana. Nothing fancy involved. You do just as well I'm sure," he deflected. He put three quarts of strawberries and two containers of blueberries and raspberries apiece in the basket. "Now for the peaches."

"Maybe you might let me take the lead on the peaches," she suggested. She made a beeline over to that container. "White or yellow?"

"Mom likes the yellow ones." He stood back and watched her.

She sampled each fruit inspecting for both hardness and blemishes. She pushed three aside. Then she'd take three others. She'd look at three more taking two and putting back one. For a good fifteen minutes, this went on until she had filled a third of the wicker basket.

"Wow. Look at you!" he remarked half-seriously.

"We do the preserves and maybe have some sliced peaches for your cellar. If there are too many, I can take some for myself." Lana shrugged. She looked around. "I'm going to buy some cherries and blueberries for myself." She filled a small baggie with cherries and took a container of blueberries. "I think I'm good."

"Okay. Well let's get rung up. Then we'll get that ice cream?" He headed toward the register with his basket.

"Lead on." She had to admit that everything seemed on the upswing now…..


	5. Martha Tells Laura's Legacy

Chapter 5 [Kent Farm—An Hour Later]

Lana pulled up next to the farm house. She leaned back against her seat. Given her point in the middle of Crater Lake, the outing could've turned into a complete bust. Still she had given him a comfort zone (and probably saved the day in the process.) She'd definitely enjoyed browsing for fruit. She'd savored the cherry vanilla/chocolate chip double scoop cone at Brown's. She noticed he was really into his. "That get your seal of approval?"

He took a small bite of the remaining fudge ripple on his cone. "Never doubt Brown's. Still Pete said there's this chain of restaurants along Highway 35 named Braum's. He claims they're better."

"We might have to take a road trip at some point and find out…as part of a Talon supply run," she noted.

"Of course." He bit into the cone again. Granted he'd prefer to slow down and just lick the cone. Still the temperature would've reduced it to a creamy mess before he could finish it. (And the last thing he wanted was a mess in her blazer.) "We'd have to leave early so we can get to Wichita and back." He ate the last bit of ice cream.

"Exactly what I was thinking. Great minds do come together. Don't they?" She smiled at him as they got out of the vehicle. "Don't forget the ice cream."

"I've got it. I don't want to deal with Dad if his fudge ripple melts," he replied. He took the two paper bags toward the house.

"No that wouldn't be a good idea," Martha agreed. "You both have a good time?" She looked the two teens over. While she didn't see any gloom in their faces, she still wondered about the picnic on Crater Lake.

"We did, Mrs. Kent." Lana still wanted to ask her questions. She did however want to wait for a better opportunity. "We even rushed the ice cream back here."

Martha chuckled. "If someone had remembered the cold bags, that wouldn't have been necessary." She looked right at him.

He shrugged. "Sorry. It was kind of a last minute idea." He hustled with the ice cream into the house.

"No problem," Martha called back to him. She turned to Lana. "So what did you end up with from Riley's?"

"They had everything you were looking for!" Lana's face brightened. Anticipation lent her eyes and smile a special glint. She held up a bag. "I didn't know if you were making that pie today. I brought some bananas. Maybe we could make some banana splits? I have fudge and whipped cream too from Brown's." She reached back into the blazer and brought out two more paper bags.

"It's been a while since we've done those. What a great idea and it's not as much work. Thank you, Lana. That's very kind. Mr. Kent will love one when he gets back tonight." Martha inspected the bags of fruit. "You did great. There are more peaches than I wanted but that's all right. They had cherries too?"

"I'm going to try something at the Talon with the peaches. If it works, great. If not, we have more to can for this winter. Right?" Lana supposed. She hefted a big bag and followed Martha into the house.

"Only if you bring some back to Chloe and her father. They'd like some I'm sure," Lana agreed. She knew Chloe was still a little annoyed that she and Clark were still in each other's orbits. _Maybe a few extra treats might help with things. One can hope! _"And Clark doubled up on his berries."

"I like my berries and the pie," he reminded them with a widening grin. He carried two bags in the house.

"You always have, Clark," Martha recalled. She set her bags on the counter. "Are those everything?"

"I'll get the last ones." He went back outside and returned with the last two bags. "That's everything." He set them on the counter. "How was the day here?"

"The jars and pots are clean and ready. I drove into town for supplies. Your Dad should be back around 5 so that's when we'll do dinner. Lana, would you like to join us?"

Lana's mouth watered. "I'd never say no to your cooking, Mrs. Kent. Thanks!"

Clark felt his mood lightening. _Let's hope for a stress free dinner. I just hope Lana doesn't start asking questions. After driving so far, Dad won't be in the mood. _"I'll get the afternoon chores done. That way everything will be done before he drives in."

"That'd be great, Clark," Martha accepted. "Maybe you can do that now? Just change first. All right?" When he'd started up the stairs, she added, "Sometimes if I don't remind him, he'll just go out there in his school clothes."

Lana shrugged. "That's Clark for you. He's a real go getter."

"He doesn't want his Dad to worry about things." Martha lined the berry containers on the wooden surface by the stove. "Let's sort the peaches out. Everything else I'll put away. I was going to put on some coffee. Did you want some?"

"Maybe a glass of water? That'd hit the spot thanks," Lana suggested.

"Water it is." Martha put some ice cubes in a glass and filled it from the sink. "There you go." She saw Clark coming back down the stairs and toward the door. "Need some water before you start?"

"I'm good, Mom. Thanks." He motioned to the coffee pot. "Maybe some coffee after chores?"

"I'll have it ready," Martha agreed. After he walked out toward the barn, she added, "Whatever you did, Lana, I'd like to know. He seems a lot better now than he's been in a while."

Lana shrugged. "We just had a really nice day. We swam, ate lunch, worked together on the fruit and had ice cream. Can't ask for more than that on a sunny day like this?" She glanced back out the window. Her eye admired the farm's backdrop and simplicity for that matter. "I think I got him to relax too."

"Oh?" Martha considered that observation. Once again, that feeling she had from her phone conversation with Clark pinged on her radar again.

"I was thinking of what you said just before Clark had the truck accident," Lana informed her. "I know he's got a lot that he's keeping inside, Mrs. Kent. He needs to deal with it. I just let him know that I'm willing to wait until he feels it's the right time to say something. If he does want to talk, I want to listen. If he needs me to keep a secret, I can definitely do that. Just wanted you to know that too."

"I appreciate that, Lana. Other than Pete, Clark really hasn't had anyone to talk to since he came back from Metropolis," Martha expressed. She spooned several teaspoons of coffee into the coffee maker's filtered basket. Then she poured some water into its reservoir and started it perking. "Sometimes we just have to wait for people to reach out on their own."

Lana nodded. She still wondered about some of the things she'd seen Clark do. Still she sensed that wouldn't be the night to ask about those things. She took another sip of water and set the glass down. "So let's get the fruit put away."

"Definitely," Martha agreed. She opened the fridge door and they began to put everything in its proper place.

And so it went….


	6. Lex's Offer

Chapter 6 [Next Day—Luthor Mansion]

Lex studied the readouts on his computer screen. LuthorCorp's stocks had sank in the Tokyo Market's eyes over the previous few weeks. He wondered if that trend had slowed his father's fortunes in London, Continental Europe and on Wall Street. _Seems people might be catching on to you, Dad. Maybe your dealings with Morgan Edge are to blame? _He sipped on his drink. That summer in Metropolis had seen the rebirth of the long dormant Luthor-Edge bond. The duo and their empires had involved themselves in several sordid endeavors. Rumor had it that Edge and his men had been in Smallville and on some farm. He'd still wondered what became of the infamous blood vial from Helen's office. _You're up to something else, Dad. I will find out._

Edge meant trouble. He always did. He always would….

…and Lex knew it….

A knock echoed off of the door jarring Lex from his reverie. "Yes?"

An elderly manservant poked a wizened head into the chamber. The top edge of his dark blazer could also be seen. "Mr. Luthor, Lana Lang is here with the monthly reports. Were you expecting her?"

Lex finished the rest of his drink and set the glass down on the coaster. He checked his watch. "Day's flying by faster than I thought. See her in and bring a coffee service up, Rivers."

"At once, Mr. Luthor." Rivers opened the door. "Go right in, Miss Lang. I'll be right back."

"Thanks, Mr. Rivers." Lana smiled to cover her discomfort with the stilted routine. She felt like a jump back in time to a bygone era every time she ventured into that library by herself. Still she knew Lex didn't look at her like that despite maintaining such an order for himself. "Hi, Lex. Everything all right?"

"I'm holding my own. Thanks, Lana." He smiled. "Saw that you took my advice and gave yourself a day off. Anything good happen?"

"Actually yes it did." She relaxed slightly. Her expression brightened up. "Clark and I spent the day together yesterday. It was kind of nice. Just being friends and doing errands."

"Doing errands? Interesting." He wasn't buying that of course. Still given how rocky things had seemed even a week earlier between his two friends, he marveled how Clark had pulled yet another romantic revival. _You're like a cat, Clark. Still the luckiest guy I've ever met. _

She sighed. "We talked at Crater Lake about things. Then we got some fruit for his mother's preserves. That's about it."

"Clark better appreciate how good of a friend you are, Lana," he noted.

"Oh he does. We both just need to figure out where we are with ourselves and each other rather than force things." She noticed Rivers wheeling the coffee service into the room. "Thanks, Mr. Rivers."

"Thanks, Rivers. That'll be all." Lex poured coffee into the mugs. "Sorry. I should know how you take it by now."

"That's okay, Lex. I got it. Thanks though." She fixed her coffee and took the first sip. "I needed that. Riley's had great produce. Hope it helps Mrs. Kent."

"Riley's does have great stock. I order from them when the Kents don't have something I want," he informed her. "So she's been talking to you about the famous preserves?"

"She has a lot going on. I can do something besides school and the Talon. And it allows me to see something my mother was good at. A win-win all around." She grinned at the thought of following in Laura's footsteps. Besides she hoped that helping around the farm would prove a bit more in the Kents' eyes that she could fit in with the family one day.

"It would be." He of course saw right through her. Still he wasn't about to rain on her parade especially where the altruism was involved. "It's a good time for you to do this. The new waitresses look good. If we need you, we can call."

"Sounds fair," she agreed. She took another draught from her mug. "The time away would do me good."

"As I've been telling you," he reminded her. "Let's see how we've been doing." He put his hand out.

She winced. "It's been kind of a slow month." She slowly surrendered the manila folder to him.

He motioned toward the guest chair. "It's harvest so it's expected. I'm sure we did fine." He settled into his desk chair. His eyes scanned the charts and numbers. He nodded. "We more than broke even. At least it's that. We'll make up for it."

She rubbed her chin. Ideas suddenly blossomed through her head. "Maybe we could run another ad in the _Torch_? Then there might be another apple-fest type of idea for the Talon? People liked it last year."

He set the report down. "I actually was thinking the same thing. Nardo's just emailed me. Their cider donuts will be available starting week after next. Riley's and McClintock's in Garden City should have their apples ready soon after that. Maybe we can do the mulled cider again?"

"If the weather cools down, it would be great," she lamented.

"Once October hits, it starts to cool off. Just let it happen, Lana," he assured her. "See? You have great ideas. Don't doubt yourself."

She took another gulp from her mug. She did feel better about the Talon and her school work. Still she worried about the Kents and that impending conversation. _I just hope when it happens, they'll be willing to talk to me finally. _She glanced out the window.

Doubts, it seemed, never took a holiday…..


	7. Science Class Advisory

Chapter 8 [Smallville High—Just Before Science Class—Next Day]

With the week starting, the students returned to their studies. Conversations buzzed in the halls. Texts and thoughts flowed back and forth. Sneakers hustled over the polished floors.

And in certain cases, ideas were about to clash and meet other circumstances….

Clark creaked back against the old wooden chair. He'd dealt with a surprise quiz in Math. He even received a better than expected grade on his English paper. He still felt euphoric about his weekend "date." Once he got through that class, he'd head over to the mansion. Everything seemed to be going well for once.

"Hey, Clark!" Pete greeted while landing in the seat next to him.

"Hey, Pete. Didn't see you this morning. Everything okay?" Clark could see that his friend seemed a bit haggard and worse for wear.

"Just a late night coming back from Wichita." Pete shrugged off his morose expression. Granted his parents' issues and impending separation weighed heavily on his shoulders. Still he wasn't going to ruin the Plaid One's good mood. "Dude, you're positively glowing! Saturday must've been awesome."

Clark nodded. "Lana and I had a nice day, Pete. Went to the lake. Swam and talked. Then we browsed for fruit. I treated her to ice cream."

Pete coughed. He glanced back toward Lana. He saw Chloe keeping a straight face and writing something in a notebook. "Dude, you have more lives than a cat! Wish I knew your secret."

"There's no secret, Pete. Lana and I are friends. No pressure, no moves. We respect each other," Clark explained.

Pete rolled his eyes. "You do realize that high school's only for another two years. Right? Clark…."

"Pete, it'll be okay." Clark saw Mr. Witherby setting his books on the desk. "We're about to start. Hang in there." He looked toward the front.

The teacher wrote a few bullet points for his lecture on the blackboard. "Good morning, Everyone. I know we're supposed to be talking about atmospheric conditions this morning. Still something on TV last night looked really interesting. Anyone hear about the solar flares this week?"

The students glanced at each other. Nobody could say they had.

Witherby took that response in stride. "Okay. Let's try another question. Can anyone tell me what a solar flare is?"

Chloe's hand shot up. Getting the teacher's prompt, she explained, "A solar flare comes from a storm on the Sun's surface. It shoots off a spike of flame, heat and magnetic waves into space."

"That's correct, Chloe. Thank you," Witherby accepted. "I can see the questions in your eyes. Why would this concern us? That's fair." He scratched his head in contemplation of that point. "As you know, the Sun provides us with heat and light. When things are normal, no problem. During the storms that Chloe mentioned though, the magnetic spike can disrupt things here on Earth. The wireless networks in our cell phones for example could have issues. We could see issues with tides if we were on the coastline. NASA says that this storm could be really intense between tomorrow and next Saturday. Let's all keep our eyes open. Now let's pick back up with barometric pressure where we were on Friday."

Clark peered back at Chloe and Lana. He offered them both a nod. Then, before the teacher noticed, he turned back toward the front.

Everything in its place or so it should've been…..


	8. Lex's Update

Chapter 9 [Luthor Mansion—30 Minutes After School]

[A/N: A few notes here. First, for this story's purposes, Pete's parents are already separated and he's doing the back and forth between Smallville and Wichita. Secondly, I'm building in some of the backstory from my other series. Enjoy!]

Clark parked beside Lana's blazer in front of the mansion. While Witherby's insight about solar flares intrigued him, he wanted to get into the shared project. Then he could help Lana to learn more about her mother. The fact that Martha and the Talon would benefit as well was an added bonus. And Lex would get good press as well.

It seemed like a win-win situation….

"Wonder how Lex made out with those places?" Lana ran her hands through her hair. Butterflies banged around in her stomach.

"I'm sure everything's going to be great, Lana," he reassured her. "Mom's got everything ready to go. Lex will find someone." He saw the billionaire in question waiting for them by the open front door. "Looks like he's waiting already."

"Yeah he is." Her mind spun with scenarios and situations relating to disappointment. She led them toward the door in question. _Just let me down easy. _

Lex looked them both over. He could see their anxious looks and body language. He smiled and motioned them inside. "Hey, Guys! Wow. Bad day at school?"

"No actually it was okay," Clark noted. "We're hoping everything's going to go all right."

"Of course it will. Come on in. The staff just brought fresh coffee into the parlor," Lex assured them. He led his friends into the parlor just to the right of the main hallway. "I know we talk a lot in the library upstairs. Still, Lana, talking about your mother the other day inspired me to open up this room." He looked about the area. "This is the first time anyone's been in here since Mom died." He looked up toward the red haired woman's portrait hanging above the fireplace. "That's her."

"She was beautiful, Lex," Lana complimented. "Sorry to bring that all up for you again. I know how hard it is to lose your mother."

"It's okay. For something like this, she'd definitely want to be in the middle of it. Dad wasn't too happy I brought her portrait out of storage." Lex shrugged allowing his triumphant smirk to spread across his face. He noticed Clark doing a second take. "Something wrong?"

"It's like I'm looking at my Mom. Sorry, Lex," Clark apologized. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I'll get that coffee now."

"Good eye, Clark. They share a great deal. Dad said the same thing while your mother was working for him," Lex observed while fixing himself a coffee. "She loved these hermit bars. Try them. Trust me. Janet Dubois' recipe never disappoints."

She bit into one. She savored the molasses and nutmeg playing across her taste buds. _Memoria _strung a few notes in her mind as well. "This is just like the ones my Mom made."

"They should be. Your mother learned it from Janet first hand. My Mom couldn't stop eating them." Lex smiled.

"That's really neat, Lex." Lana regarded the portrait again. "I can't believe there are more connections."

"There are a lot more. It's about bringing things to light when they can do the most good rather than benefit just ourselves," Lex expanded. "Your mother traveled back east a few times. In fact she worked as a waitress for a summer on Cape Cod. She also visited Amherst, Mass. a few times too. That's probably where she learned the recipe."

She shook her head. "It's interesting. During her graduation speech, my mother urged her classmates not to take anything for granted. Still I didn't think she got out of town at all."

"Well she and your Dad both did, Lana. As for that fire and strength, we all saw it. Your Mom never backed down to anything," Lex recalled. He chased those thoughts with more coffee.

"Wait!" She scratched her head. "You _knew _my parents?"

"I did. I was only a kid at the time, Lana. Mom really liked her. Dad couldn't stand her. But as far as Mom was concerned, she and your Dad were like family. That's one reason I want to be included with the Talon and to help you all. Besides being your friend, it's almost like being including them as well," Lex clarified. "And speaking of helping out, Clark. Your truck will be ready day after tomorrow."

"Wow! That was quick. Thanks again, Lex," Clark expressed.

"You're welcome. Just don't be falling asleep behind the wheel again please," Lex teased. He coughed to punctuate the remark. "I'm just glad your parents accepted my help on that one. You'll need it this weekend." He sat down on the couch and picked up a manila folder. "Get your coffee and take a seat. I've got some good news."

"You found some orchards?" She relaxed; warm feelings of relief flooded through herself.

"There are plenty of them as you know. The trick was finding the ones that grow what we need," Lex supposed allowing his mirth to come to the surface. "Riley's had some fruit. The only other place my suppliers came up with was Daisy's Farm in Derby."

"Derby?" she wondered.

"Pete's mentioned it. It's right outside of Wichita," Clark explained. "Maybe my folks might let us go down there on Saturday? We can pick up the fruit. Maybe we can grab something to eat with Pete?"

"He said that the weekends get long there. Must be tough getting used to the big city after being out here," she supposed.

"Wichita's a good sized city. It's not Metropolis or anything though," Lex pointed out. "Glad you picked up on that." He toasted the thought with his coffee mug.

Everything seemed to be in order…..


	9. Running Things By Martha

Chapter 10 [Kent Farm—Half an Hour Later]

Fresh off of their discussion with Lex (and the requisite coffee refills in hand), the two teens parked in front of the yellow farmhouse. Barring any objections from the Kents, they'd head to Wichita that weekend. Hopefully both farm and Talon would have plenty of preserves before then.

Still Clark wondered about his father's reaction. He knew his parents would be hesitant to allow such a lengthy unchaperoned road trip for them. He anticipated his father's reaction. He tapped his fingers on the dashboard. _Dad's going to freak. _He frowned while getting out of the truck.

Their eyes met. Reassurance flowed back and forth between them.

He went first into the house. "Mom?"

Martha looked up from her paperwork. "Hi, Kids! How was your day?"

"It was okay. Thanks, Mrs. Kent. Sorry if we kept you waiting. Lex wanted to talk with us," Lana apologized.

Martha mulled over that point. "So he found some places that quickly? We can get right to work. Where?"

"Riley's for one. Then there's a place called Daisy's."

"Daisy's?" Martha rummaged through a pile of mail on her desk. She pulled out a good sized catalog. "This is from Derby. That's a long drive, Clark."

"Maybe we can start early on Saturday? We can go there, load up, eat with Pete and then come back," Clark offered.

"Six hours in one day?" Martha shook her head. "Sorry, Clark. Your Dad will never go for that. Can't say I blame him."

Lana interjected, "Maybe we can get a couple of rooms? I can pay for mine. Maybe Judge Ross or Pete can suggest a good place?"

"That's a great idea, Lana. Is this Pete's weekend there or here?" Martha complimented.

"There. It would help to make the weekend go better for him," he noted.

Martha rubbed her chin. "It would allow you all some time together. You all haven't seen that much of each other since he's been going back and forth between his parents' homes. I'll talk to Judge Ross and your Dad. Let's see what we can come up with. We can also go over this catalog too. In the meantime, maybe you both could help me get these raspberries chopped up?"

"Sure thing!" Lana washed her hands. She noticed that some of the fruit had already been chopped up. She sighed. "Sorry I wasn't here at the beginning."

"That's all right. Maybe you can work on that raspberry box?" Wash them first and cut them up. We need to get the stems out."

Lana nodded. She held each berry under the faucet. Then she cut the tops off and halved the berries.

Martha watched intently. She couldn't help but wonder if Laura had seen the same things in her back in the day. When Lana had finished, she directed, "Put the pieces in that white baking pan and mash them."

Lana nodded. She crushed the soft fruit into a mashed and juicy mass. Still she drew connections. "This is like making wine."

Martha raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"I saw a video of it. People used to get together in small villages. They'd bring their grapes to the center or one person's farm. All of the grapes would go in a big wooden tub. Then they'd dance, walk all over or just flat out stomp everything into a mashed pile like this. Then they'd drain the juice into bottles for aging into wine," Lana explained. "We're just keeping the fruit pulp and cooking everything together."

"Exactly! I'll have to watch that for myself. I never would have made that connection." Martha opened up the sugar canister. "We're going to add water and sugar to it. Otherwise you're exactly right. Let's put that into the pot." She scooped some sugar from the canister and poured it and two more scoops into the pot. Then she started the heat under it.

"So do we stir or just let it go?" Lana asked.

"Both at times. We have to let it boil completely down," Martha elaborated. "Just watch it. I'm going to call Judge Ross and talk with her." She headed toward the phone.

He glanced toward his mother. He had to suppress the urge to chop the remaining fruit at super speed. His nerves flared up in his stomach.

"It's going to be all right, Clark. Let's not make an issue before there is one," Lana assured him. She watched the first bubbles rising toward the water's surface.

"I know. I just want this to work out without any stress," he pointed out.

"Just have faith." Lana rubbed his arm. "It's going to work out." She gave the heating pot a few stirs with a wooden spoon. "This is going to be great. If my Mom could do it, I can too."

"I don't doubt that," he agreed. "Can I do anything to help?"

She shrugged. "Just stand here with me and watch things cooking down? It is going to take a while."

He could hear the conversation going fairly well. "Want some milk?"

"That actually would hit the spot. Thanks, Clark," Lana accepted. She felt badly that he couldn't do more in that particular situation. Given how parched her mouth was at that moment, she really needed that glass of refreshment. She accepted a glass from him and took a healthy draught from it.

"Glad that came in the nick of time," he quipped.

"You always do know when to swoop in and save the day," she counter-quipped. Her smile broadened into a grin. Her eyes sparkled.

His heart skipped a beat. He gulped a few mouthfuls down and set the glass down on the counter. "That was good. It was hotter than I thought."

"Yeah…hotter," she sighed almost under her breath.

At that moment, Martha hung up and came back to the kitchen. "Good news! Judge Ross knows of a place. She'll make the reservations for you both. Pete can stay with you, Clark. Maybe Chloe can come and room with you, Lana?"

"Maybe." Lana's heart sank. Admittedly she wanted to spend most of the day alone with Clark. Still she knew it wouldn't be fair to leave Chloe behind in Smallville while they were off on their Wichita adventure with Pete and the orchards. Then she remembered Chloe's prior commitment that weekend. "I think she's going to be at Met U. visiting her cousin. I'll ask her Dad."

"I'll talk with Mr. Kent, Lana. Meantime let's keep an eye on that pot. Thank you for chopping up the rest of that fruit, Clark. That milk looks good. Think I'll get a glass myself." Martha headed for the fridge.

More details forthcoming to be sure…..


	10. Surges

Chapter 11 [Wednesday Morning]

[A/N: Everything was going just too smoothly. Poor Clark….]

Clark grimaced himself back into the waking world. Despite the previous day's sense of calm, he'd tossed and turned in bed. His mind remained troubled. He anticipated what Jonathan would say about the weekend trip. He'll never let us go. He rolled his eyes. Slowly he swung his legs and sat on the bed's edge. Since I can't sleep, I might as well get the chores done. He changed into his second hand brown flannel shirt and jeans before quietly slipping down the stairs and out the door.

Overhead, the stars still twinkled in their nocturnal backdrop. The last crickets still chirped in the shadows. A relatively cool breeze ruffled his hair.

If only things could stay like this. He trudged toward the barn. For some reason, however, small pinpricks jabbed at his arms and legs. He felt a slight burning in his hands. "Now what?" He flexed his hands. After a bit of residual stiffness, his fingers moved as they always did. He frowned and shook his head. "I don't get sick. So what is it?" He glanced about trying to see the telltale meteor rock glow around himself.

But there was none….

You're imagining things! He unlatched the barn door. Then, as he always did, he gave it a slight tap to make it slide open. However, as he did so, a large energy surge jolted him. His hand hit the door harder than he meant to. He watched as the barn door collided with the wall on its far end. "What the?" He looked down at his hands.

Everything seemed normal there….

"Dad will have to check on that door. Did he overgrease the skids?" He flipped on the light switch. A quick glance discovered a large feed sack which had fallen onto the floor. "Guess you came with the door, huh?" He figured though he'd just put it back on the pile. Just as his fingers touched the bag, a washed out feeling sapped him. He struggled to heft the forty pound bag just two feet to his left. Sweat beaded across his forehead. Exhaustion, of all things, forced him to huff and puff. "What's going on?" He felt his forehead much as he'd seen Martha do with Jonathan but felt no extra warmth or clamminess there. "Get the chores done. Then you can ask." He tried to zip around the barn on his usual chore routine. Still only a few footfalls feeling like a uphill climb in sticky mud or pitch came at first. His movements slowed to a crawl (at least by his standards). Come on! You can do this! He grabbed a beam for support only to recoil.

A splinter jabbed its way into his hand. A trickle of blood flowed toward his wrist.

"COME ON!" He smacked the beam in frustration. As he did, another surge jarred him. His hand snapped the board like a matchstick. "Got to get back to the house." He turned and ran toward the farmhouse. As he did, another massive surge kicked in the afterburners. Thus overloaded, his super speed kicked in propelling him past the farmhouse…and out of Smallville for that matter….

[Minutes Later]

Jonathan and Martha peered cautiously out of the front door. The door's impact against the barn had jarred them from their sleep. He had his shotgun hefted and ready for any trouble, Paranoia, as always, prepared him for any threats to Clark's safety be it Luthor-related or not….

"Jonathan, it could just be Clark out there. Maybe the door just got away from him?" she suggested.

He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe, Martha. I just want to make sure. Maybe something or someone ambushed him out there. We can't call Sheriff Adams."

She sighed knowing how the town's relatively new sheriff already had Clark on her radar. "Then be careful yourself. If Clark couldn't deal with it, what makes you think a rifle will?" She pressed the button turning on her lantern flashlight.

"Martha, stay in here. I'd rather…."

She shook her head. "Jonathan, he's our son. I'm coming too." She stood resolutely.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Just stay behind me." He led her slowly outside and across the yard toward the barn. Each footstep placed a new suspicion in his mind. Fear burned in his brain and chilled his heart.

"Clark?" she called out when they drew close to the barn.

He inspected the door. He furrowed his brow at the cracked trim from where it had impacted with the end of its track. "Martha, look at this."

She stared and shook her head. "Clark knows better than to shove that door with his full strength. What happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know." He crept into the barn to find the lights already on. His eyes went wide at the shattered beam. "What the…?" He considered the splintered wood. "There must've been a fight in here. Look!"

She recoiled. "He wouldn't have broken that either. We don't have any red meteors around. So why…?"

"I don't know. Take a look around. We can ask Clark when we find him." Fear chilled him increasingly with each step. He rushed up the stairs toward the Loft. "CLARK!" He inspected the attic area and all of the knickknacks therein but found no sign. "CLARK!"

"Jonathan! He's not here!" she called up the stairs. "I'm going to look in the house! Maybe he got back there."

"We'll look together!" Desperation clomped his boots in rapid fire fashion down the wooden stairs and back across the yard. "CLARK! CLARK!"

She swept the yard with the flashlight's beam. "CLARK! CLARK,WHERE ARE YOU?" She looked around the back of the house and out toward the fields. "Jonathan, where is he?"

He shook his head. "Wish I knew, Martha. Maybe something happened….?"

She bit her lip. "Oh please no! He knows better after last summer! He couldn't…."

He repressed his own concerns. While Clark's safety remained an important focus, reassuring her was his top priority at the moment. "He knows. Something else must have happened, Sweetheart. He's all right. He has to be." He looked up at the sky. Lord, he has to be!

Mysteries abounded…..


	11. Discovered in Wichita

Chapter 12 [Wichita, KS—An Hour and a Half Later]

[A/N: Sam's my original character.]

Dawn's first faint colors painted the eastern sky. Crimsons, oranges and pinks streaked overhead. Geese waddled across the main byways, onto the grassy knolls and into nearby manmade ponds. A few cars honked at and steered around them on the way into their routines.

In such ways, a city shook off its doldrums toward another day….

A sandy haired young girl jogged up a side street. Her i-pod soothed her mind with Brahms and Mozart. Her eyes drank in Mother Nature's scenes and delights. Occasionally she'd make her way around a squirrel or goose in her path. She kept her breathing measured.

Occasionally breezes puffed up out of nowhere. Her hair billowed. The beads of sweat dissipated from her skin.

Despite these simple pleasures, her heart remained heavy. Her father was away on business as always. She'd just visited her mother's grave only the day before placing the latter's favorite lilacs there as she did twice a week. Her classmates didn't share her love of art or music regarding her as too nerdy for their taste. Consequently she remained a loner for the most part…

…except when she shared her music. During the concerts, at least, others would collaborate to form a brilliant symphony. At those times, she'd blank out all of the surrounding issues. Her violin would combine with flutes, a piano and various wind instruments to soothe any pain. And she'd met the new municipal judge, Judge Ross, and her son down there as well.

The son…no _Pete…_ A smile briefly creased her lips. Maybe he didn't know the most about music or art. Still, unlike the guys there, he seemed to care about people. She'd learned he was dealing with his parents' situation spending every other weekend with his mother before heading back to Smallville. During those weekends there, she'd run into him at the local Ruckstar's. He'd bought her coffee when she'd forgot her debit card. He actually opened up about his life and friends in the farming community. Then he started accompanying his mother to the concerts to watch the performances.

_Wonder what that place is like? Maybe everyone's as nice as he is? I don't want to bother Judge Ross but maybe I can find out when he's coming back? Too bad. Vacation would allow me a chance to go out there. _She sighed. Bliss' moment faded as she turned onto the main road. _I don't want to bother her. It's not like I have a chance. I…._

At that moment, a powerful wind burst bowled her into the grass.

"What in?" She slowly stood and looked around. For the most part, the air remained still. "What was that?" Much to her relief, it didn't represent a mugger or worse. By now _Sol _dazzled her with its light just peeking over the eastern horizon. "At least it's light enough now." She plugged her ear buds back in. "I definitely need that coffee now."

And she pressed on….

[A Quarter Mile Up the Road]

Clark struggled with the latest energy surge. Much like an overcharged battery, the charge wouldn't allow his feet to stop their super-sped pace. He'd tried to stop himself on several occasions but to no avail. He could've sworn he hit someone but couldn't stop to offer help. Finally he felt the energy dissipating once more. Abruptly he skidded across a sidewalk. He rolled over the grass and scattered the birds. He came to a stop just before an epic splashdown. "Finally." He groaned as the spent feeling washed over him. "Why is this happening?" He grimaced while getting to his feet. His lungs burned with each breath. "Where am I?" He could see he was in a city of some sort. Still not having any idea of how long he'd run or in which direction, he had no idea where he was. He staggered onto the sidewalk and glanced to his right and left.

As he did so, he nearly ran into the jogger again. "Sorry." He pulled himself out of the path with effort but nearly fell back down in the process.

She stopped abruptly. Concern burned away her mental cocoon. Unlike many others who would've kept going, she could see he wasn't right. From the skid marks across the sidewalk and the grass, she deduced somebody had dumped him there. "Are you all right?"

"Just tired." He stared at the bleeding elbows and tears across his jeans. He didn't understand how he could be bleeding of all things.

"Just take your time and catch your breath," she advised. "There's a medical center about a mile from here. Maybe…."

He shook his head. The last thing he wanted was for somebody to draw more blood or do tests on him. "No…I…Thanks." He scratched his head. "I'll be okay." He smiled. "I appreciate it."

"You sure?" She didn't trust strangers easily. Yet this guy, for some reason, seemed the exception. "Somebody just dumped you here. You're hurt and disoriented. You're obviously not from Wichita so…."

"Wichita?" His eyes went wide. "Oh man! I…."

She nodded checking that item off of her list of things about him. "Yeah you're in Wichita, biggest city in southcentral Kansas. I'm Sam Cooper by the way. And you are?"

"Clark…Clark Kent." He offered her that more by necessity than choice. The sudden 150 mile sprint befuddled him. Considering he could barely walk at a normal human pace concerned him as well. "I wish I knew how I got here." He rubbed his head and looked down at his watch. "And now I'm going to be late for school. Mr. Reynolds will…."

"Are you kidding me?" She shook her head. "Clark, I think whoever that is, he'll deal with it. Obviously somebody kidnapped you and dropped you here. You're on West 21st Street in Wichita. I don't mean to pry but where's home for you?"

"Smallville, it's a farming town west of Dodge. You probably never heard of it," he presumed.

She nodded. "I've heard of it. And…wait!" She smiled. "Are you friends with Pete Ross?"

He arched an eyebrow and stiffened. "He's my best friend. You know him?"

"Kind of. We've talked a couple of times at the coffee place up the road. So you're Clark." She felt herself relaxing. "Sorry about the fifth degree, Clark. Maybe I can get you something to eat or a coffee? Pete's helped me out a couple of times. It'll be like paying him back. Then maybe we can call his Mom?"

"Okay." His stomach growled. Maybe he'd see Pete's substitute for the Talon at least while in Wichita. Then he could figure out an explanation for Judge Ross and his parents.

"Ruckstar's is just beyond those trees." She led him back onto the sidewalk and down the street. "Pete says that the pastries are great. Maybe not what you'd have at that place you have there…the Taybor?"

"It's the Talon but you know about it?" He peered at her. Curiosity drew his attention toward a deeper conversation.

"Pete's mentioned it. Sounds really awesome. Well it's great to meet you, Clark. Let's get that coffee and then we can make that call." She set a slow walking pace and motioned him onward.

He felt himself relaxing. At least he had a friend there. Now to deal with the fallout from whatever this was…..


	12. Call Home

Chapter 13 [Smallville—Kent Farm, Forty-Five Minutes Later]

Pete banked a hard turn off of the state road and onto the Kents' driveway. His mind raced dealing with myriad scenarios over the sudden 911 text just minutes earlier. _What happened now? Did anyone else find out? Dude, you really need to be careful! _He sucked in a deep breath to compose himself. His foot pressed down on the brake between the farmhouse and barn. He got out and rushed up the walk.

Before he could knock on the door, Jonathan opened it. "Thanks for coming so fast, Pete. Please come in."

"Thanks, Mr. Kent. Came as soon as I got the text? What's going on with Clark?" Pete followed Jonathan into the house. He smelled the coffee scent. "That smells great, Mrs. Kent."

"Thanks for coming, Pete. You haven't heard from Clark. Have you?" Martha rubbed her forehead. She looked down at the bubbling pancakes on the skillet. "Have you eaten?"

"Nope. Not since school yesterday. And I'd love some of those pancakes. Thanks." Pete went to the sink to wash his hands. "Can I have some coffee too?"

"Absolutely. You know where the milk and sugar are," she agreed. "This is so sudden. We heard a banging noise from the barn. When we got there, there wasn't any sign of anyone. Clark's disappeared. He was here last night."

"Clark wouldn't just run off for no reason," Pete noted. "Especially not after that deal last summer." He fixed his coffee. He nodded after a sip. "This is great." He shook his head. "I just hope Big Lex and his Dad aren't behind this. I keep telling Clark to watch Lex!"

"Pete, we don't know that. Okay?" she disagreed.

"We have to keep that in mind, Martha. Lionel would hire people who'd take Clark. Those men from Metropolis would try to grab him. Maybe Helen Bryce would try to take more blood samples. There are number of things that could happen," Jonathan countered.

She frowned. She knew Lionel was capable of that. She doubted Lex would have a reason to kidnap Clark. "Let's at least keep an open mind." She scooped up the last pancakes with her spatula and set them on a plate. Then she put them on the table. "After breakfast, maybe we can think of something."

"I can help search if you want. Dad'll get me out of school for that," Pete volunteered.

"You should go. Maybe he might show up." She glanced toward the preserves' pots by the sink side. "Lana will help too after school I'm sure."

Pete nodded knowing how Lana had practically pursued Clark to Metropolis during their relationship. He'd also heard from her and Chloe both about Clark's lifestyle and some of the people around him during that time. "Too bad Chloe's not here. She'd help too. And…." He heard his phone ringing. "Who'd be calling now?" He stared at his phone. "My Mom now?" He answered it. "Hi, Mom. What's going on?"

"Hi, Pete. Sorry to bother you before school," Judge Ross apologized. "Maybe you can tell me how Clark's in Wichita?"

"He…_what_?" Pete stiffened. He knew Clark could easily "go supersonic" there. "I'm at the Kents right now. Just a sec." He held the phone out to Martha. "It's my Mom. She knows where Clark is."

Martha accepted the phone from Pete. "Thanks." Questions peppered her mind. _Why would he go there now? _She cleared her throat and started in, "Good Morning, Abby. You know where he is?"

"I sure do." Judge Ross looked into her living room where Clark slept on the couch and Sam sat beside him. "Whatever happened, Clark's really worn out. A friend of mine, Samantha Cooper, found him about an hour ago. The area looks like someone drove across the sidewalk and onto the grass, dropped him there and took off again. He's got some scrapes on his arms and elbows. You should file a police report, Martha. Someone abducted him."

Again her mind flashed back to that standoff in the barn. _Someone else knows about the meteors' effect on Clark? _"We'll do that. Can we talk to him?"

"Clark fell asleep as soon as we got back here. I just wanted Pete to get you a message. I'm glad he was with you. Can you let Jonathan know?" Judge Ross declined. "Samantha's off of school this week. She's volunteered to drive Clark back there. I've booked her into the Smallville Inn for the night. Maybe you can have her over for dinner?"

"Of course! That'll be the least we can do. Maybe we can pay for a bus ticket? She shouldn't have to drive that far," Martha replied.

"Samantha says she's all right with it. She wants to see Smallville for herself after talking with Pete about it," Judge Ross assured her. "She's going to pack. They'll be on the road in the next couple of hours. I'd have Clark over longer but I have to be in court by 10."

"You've been great already, Abby. Thank you for letting us know. And thank Samantha too for helping. We're looking forward to meeting her. We appreciate it," Martha expressed.

"Of course. Have a better day, Martha. Take care. Tell Pete I'll call him later." With that, Judge Ross hung up.

"What was that about? He's in Wichita?" Jonathan demanded.

"Apparently so." Martha handed the phone back to Pete. "Thanks, Pete." She shook her head. "Somebody found him there. Pete, do you know Samantha Cooper?"

"Sam? Yeah kind of. She's really nice but keeps to herself. Sometimes I run into her at the local coffee place, Ruckstar's, when I'm there. She's plays the violin in some concerts and stuff." Pete shrugged. He smiled. "She kind of sticks out there. We both get that. She's coming here?"

"She's driving Clark back this morning. That's really out of the way for her. She'll miss school," Martha told them.

"School's out there this week for teacher conferences. Sam's Dad won't care. He's never home. Her Mom died a couple of years ago." Pete rubbed the back of his neck. "She's asked me about here. Guess I'll take her to the Talon so she can finally see it for herself."

"We'll treat her to dinner here." Martha noticed Pete getting a tad bit twitchy. "Are you all right?"

"Never better now that I know Clark's in good hands," Pete declared. He got on the phone and texted, _"Hi, Mom. Thanks for the heads up. Ask Sam to bring her violin? Like to hear it. Thanks." _

The reply buzzed across his phone. _ "I'll ask her. Talk to you later. Love, Mom."_

Pete put his phone away. "Maybe we'll get some music too. I hope Sam brings her violin. She's great with it." He took a deep breath.

The two parents looked at each other. They'd never seen Pete do Clark's "Lana Stare" over a girl at any point before that. They determined to find out more about this girl from the big city.

At that moment, the farm's land line cut into the discussion.

"Now who?" She walked over to it. "This is the Kent Farm. Can we help you?"

"Good Morning, Mrs. Kent. My name is Virgil Swann. I'm calling from my observatory in New York. I trust Clark told you about me?" Swann introduced himself.

She stared at Jonathan and Pete. "You're the scientist from last spring! Didn't you tell him about his heritage?"

"I did. I'm calling because of Clark's sudden appearance in Wichita. I have a theory why that happened," Swann commented. "You know about solar flares?"

"Who is it, Martha?" Jonathan tried to cut in.

She waved him off trying to keep her attention on the phone conversation. "I've seen specials on the Science Channel about them. Aren't we having some this week?"

"That's correct. The Sun is experiencing intense activity. I haven't seen solar flares like this in decades, Mrs. Kent. I can't say for sure but perhaps there might be a connection between them and Clark's situation?" Swann deduced. "Rest assured. I have spoken to nobody about this other than you."

"Thank you for that, Dr. Swann. Mr. Kent and I appreciate that. Clark should be back later on. Perhaps you might let him know?" Martha suggested.

"I will call tonight. The solar storms should fade by the weekend. Until then he needs to keep from using his abilities whenever possible. Thank you," Swann concluded before hanging up.

She hung up the phone slowly. _How did he know so fast? _"That was Virgil Swann."

"Wasn't that the guy Clark went to see when we were having our family tree project?" Pete recalled.

"He was. He knows about this, Martha?" Jonathan asked in surprise.

"Somehow he knew about Clark being in Wichita." She shook her head. "Somehow he thinks Clark's situation is related to the solar flares going on right now. He's going to call back tonight."

"Tonight?" Jonathan frowned. His mind spilled over with potential issues arising from such contacts. "Maybe he might bring Garner or Lionel into this?"

"Let's hope not, Jonathan. Dr. Swann's offered to help. Let's see where it goes," she assured them. "We might as well eat. Pete can get to school. We'll see where we are this afternoon." She started plating up the breakfast portions.

Pete exchanged looks with Jonathan. Thanks to Clark's mysterious journey there, his worlds were coming together. Things seemed to be moving onto a new course…..


	13. Lana Tries to Get Info

Chapter 14 [Smallville High—Cafeteria]

Lana glanced down at her phone. After not seeing Clark in either home room or their science class, she checked between that class and her last one. Now her eyes studied the screen again. _Darn it, Clark! Where are you? You were okay yesterday. _Anxiety unsteadied her. She rubbed her forehead. _Call him. _She dialed the phone.

"Hi! This is Clark. Sorry I'm not available. Please leave a message and I'll get right back to you," a voice mail message greeted.

"Hi, Clark. It's Lana. I…umm…I was just wondering how you were doing. I'll talk to you this afternoon. Thanks," she replied. Then she hung up. _Just a couple more hours. Then you'll be there anyway. Maybe I can do the preserves and let Mrs. Kent help Clark. _She nodded at that thought. _I can fit in if people give me a chance! _She bit into a tuna on wheat. She glanced up to see Pete entering the area deeply in thought over something. "Pete!"

Pete jerked himself from his reverie. "Huh? Oh…hey, Lana." As with her, he struggled to keep his focus on his classes. He shook his head. _Why did Clark go to Wichita of all places? He doesn't know anyone there except for Mom. And now Sam's coming here? Great. I don't know if she'll like it. She only knows the big city. _He frowned. _What the Hell? Just take her to the Talon and treat it like Ruckstar's. Mrs. Kent's got dinner set. Maybe she'll bring her violin. You're just friends with her, Dude. _He sighed. _Guess we'll find out around 3. _He sat down right across from her. "You still tense over Clark?"

"He was okay yesterday afternoon, Pete," she told him.

"Yeah well…you know how the flu is. One minute we're fine. The next, we're in bed burning up." He shrugged to further try and sell the excuse. Somehow he kept up the façade. Frankly though, he wished for the thousandth time that she and Chloe knew about the Secret. "Maybe when you're at the farm later, you can check in on him? That would make his day."

She grinned. "I'll definitely do that. Thanks, Pete. I appreciate that." She studied him closely. "Clark's sickness wearing on you too?"

"Yeah. Don't like to see anyone sick. I was wondering if you could help me out?" He looked around. "The Wichita schools are out this week. One of my friends from there is going to be here in Smallville for a day or two. It was kind of a last minute thing."

"I'll do what I can, Pete. I'll be at the Kents helping with the preserves. Maybe you can bring them by the farm for a visit?" she suggested. She knew he only put up with the long drives and visits for his mother's sake. "It's great though you're making some friends there. Weekends there must be rough."

"Yeah. Gotta support Mom as well as Dad though." He sighed and opened his lunch. "Sam's kind of a loner. The other kids there don't appreciate her art or music talent."

She sipped on her juice. "Never knew you were a fan of the arts, Pete. It's great to see."

"Mom's dragged me to a few concerts down at Century II there." He squirmed. "At first it's just stuffy and boring. Then Sam gets on stage and starts in on the violin. She can outplay the adults around her in the symphony." He shook his head. "Never seen anything like that."

"She plays in the Wichita Symphony?" Lana looked at him. She definitely needed to know more about this girl.

He shrugged. "Guess she does some. She's still in high school like us. Anyhow she's good company in the coffee shop there. I want her to like Smallville. You know?"

_And he cares what she thinks. Wow. Seems that Miss Sam has made an impression! _"Maybe we can all do a coffee at the Talon later? I'm sure Chloe would love to meet her. She might even do a feature story in the _Torch_."

He rolled his eyes. "Look, Lana. Sam doesn't seem to like that press."

"Sorry. I thought this was a coffee buddy or something." She leaned close to him. "Are you two…?"

"What? No! We're just friends!" He stiffened. He squirmed almost feeling exposed. _Now that? Come on! What's the big deal?_

_That hit a nerve. _She decided not to push the subject. Rather she filed the notion away. "Relax, Pete. I was talking about her music not about her visit in general. You know how I am about that _Time _cover girl stuff. I understand."

He felt himself calming down. "Cool. Sorry, Lana. It's just unexpected and I'm trying to throw this all together on top of thinking about Clark." He caught himself at that point and shut that response down.

She nodded. "I know what you mean." Still she knew Mrs. Kent would deal with a cold just like she did everything else. _Is there something else going on? _She made a note to herself on that point as well. "Maybe we might get Byron to come over after dark? He could read some poems. Sam would like that. Besides he likes things low key as well."

"That's awesome, Lana. Thanks. Think his folks would go along with that?" he wondered.

"One of us can call after school and find out." She took another bite of her sandwich. "Meantime maybe she'll like collaborating with Mrs. Kent and me? If not you can take her for ice cream."

"Yeah." He bit into his own ham and cheese. He began to ponder a deeper plan for the afternoon's activities.

She, for her part, contented herself with watching him. Admittedly she'd never seen him show such interest in any girl for very long. She definitely wanted to meet Sam now.

Such as it was….


	14. Another Near Miss

Chapter 15 [Braums Burgers—Haviland, KS]

Sam leaned back in her driver's seat. She studied a road map to confirm the downloaded directions from her computer and Judge Ross. Frankly the journey's first hour and a half had its questions. Much as with the rest of that morning, she found Clark to be a puzzle. In terms of general teenager things, he seemed a great guy. Much as with the farmers' kids she knew in Goddard or Maize, he balanced his farm with the modern world's pace. She enjoyed his anecdotes about small town life. He described some of the stuff Pete and he ran into in Smallville. And there was the fact he was buying them lunch.

At least he had manners…..

Still he had questions. _He's kidnapped from his home and dragged across the state. He doesn't want to call the police or get checked out? What's with him? _Despite the pleasant farm guy with the penchant for the Plaid deal, she had to wonder about his evasiveness on those fronts. Still she wasn't going to push it. _It's not like he's held up a bank or anything. He just wants to get home and get on with his life. You can relate to that. _She shook her head. A slight bit of focus for her prompted another cooling off within the car. A tapping on the window snapped her out of it.

He slid into the passenger's seat. "#1 meal. Diet Coke." He handed her a paper bag. "I've got the drinks out here. They just made some fresh onion rings. Here you go!"

"Thanks, Clark." Her mood was picking up already. "Find something for yourself?"

"The #3 kind of jumped out at me." He handed her the bag. "Got the drinks out here." He cautiously lifted the sodas and tray off of the ground and into the car.

"That's a great choice too." She smiled. "You'll love these onion rings. They're great." She rooted through the bag for her side container. "Sorry we don't have longer. It's kind of a balancing act with everything here in the car."

"That's okay," he agreed. He bit into his burger. "Mmm! Pete said these were good. Got to hand it to him on that."

She took another bite of her burger. "They're the best chain in the area. We had them in Oklahoma too." Her teeth crunched into an onion ring. "You were right to wait. Mmm! So Pete like these?"

"So he's said." He shrugged. "He's brought this place up a couple of times. It'd be a great place out in Lowell County. Surprised they're not in Granville."

"Granville? That's the big city there? How big's Smallville?" She looked at him.

"About 30,000. Mostly though, we're still mostly farming. Granville's a little bigger. We go to Garden City or Dodge if we need something from the city. After that, it's a three hour drive to Metro or Wichita, I guess," he explained.

"I'll look forward to seeing it for myself then," she affirmed. "You good? We still have a ways to go before we get to your folks' farm?"

"I am. I…." He felt another surge bubbling up inside of himself. "Sam, I need to get out for a minute. I…." He set the burger back in its box and opened the door. He went to get out of the car…at least to get out was his intent. Instead he ended up vaulting four parking spots before the curb stopped him.

Her eyes went wide. "Clark? What the?" She struggled to understand what she'd just witnessed. She got out of the car and rushed to his side. "What's going on?"

_Mom and Dad are going to kill me. _"Sam, I…"

She looked around. Fortunately she'd parked in back of the restaurant. "You have abilities and they're a secret. Am I getting warm?"

He bowed his head. While he'd tried to keep his abilities concealed, the strange surges threatened to expose him much as Kal's rampage in Metro had done earlier. He pulled himself to his feet. "You know about that?"

"Since I'm keeping your secret, can you keep one for me too?" She helped him to his feet. _He can spring across feet of asphalt and now he can barely stagger to the car? What gives? _Getting an efforted nod from him, she continued, "I have my own talents." She closed her eyes.

From behind them, a stiff wind pushed them back toward the car.

He looked at her again. "You…you did that?"

"Yes, Clark. I did. Hope you're okay with that as I'm okay with you?" she put to him.

He nodded. "I can keep your secret, Sam. Does Pete know?"

"No. I can tell you're really secretive. Right, Clark? Do those girls…what did Pete say their names were? Do they know?" She helped him back into the car. Right now her main concern was to get them back on the road and out of that town ASAP.

"Lana and Chloe don't know. Pete does. He kind of found out like you just did. Maybe you might talk with my folks about it?" he clarified adding that offer at the end. With the brief energy burst spent, he felt his energy levels waning again. He secured his seat belt. "Sorry. I just…"

"That's fair. Maybe you should just eat your lunch? We can talk after that," she agreed. _Was he really kidnapped or did his abilities do a major flake out? _She recalled being knocked down earlier. _Was that Clark? _"Just relax, Clark. It's going to be okay." She smiled for both of their benefits before resuming their trek down the state road.

He took a somber bite of burger. His mind swam with the implications of Sam finding out. Why wasn't anything easy?


	15. Homecoming

Chapter 16

[Smallville—About 1:45 PM]

In between bites of burger and sips of soda, Clark and Sam relaxed. They asked each other more about their respective abilities. He apologized about knocking her over in mid-run earlier that day. He also guided her past the dwindling urban sprawl and into the countryside.

Upon seeing the giant meteor sign at Smallville's town line, she looked at him. "So this is where it happened?"

He nodded. "It did. A lot changed here that day. Still guess we've all rebounded. The town's grown. You'll see that later. My family farm's a few more miles down the road and on the right." He sighed. _So many lives changed because my world blew up. How many people died that day? How many others have had their lives affected? _

She rubbed his shoulder. "Clark, you lost someone in the meteor shower. Right?"

He nodded. "My parents. I'm adopted. Don't get me wrong. Mom and Dad are awesome parents but…"

She sympathized, "I get it. Sorry to hear about that, Clark. At least though you're with people who care about you. That's good." She saw a mailbox on the side of the road and a sign saying "KENT FARM" over a dirt driveway approaching on the right. "This is it?"

He exhaled deeply. _Home. _"This is it."

"Then the right turn it is." She turned the car and headed down the driveway. The nerves and butterflies started to build. _What will his parents think? How are they going to deal with me knowing about him? _She bit her lip and pressed on.

[Kent Farm—Ten Minutes Earlier]

Martha inspected the kitchen and dining room for the umpteenth time. Much as Jonathan had until twenty minutes prior to that, she'd kept herself busy around the house and helping in the fields to distract herself from Clark's situation. _What happened? Why would he run off like that? Could it be Kal again? _She didn't find any trace of red meteor rocks around the farm.

"We'll find out soon enough, Sweetheart," Jonathan assured her. Much as he was doing, he knew she worried herself sick over their special boy. "Maybe Swann might be able to confirm that theory of his."

She nodded. "We may just have to keep Clark around here. Maybe Lana and Pete can bring his assignments? Let's hope he's right. I checked online."

"Checked on what? Martha, we're talking about Clark," he pointed out.

"We are. We're also talking about those solar storms and their flares. If Dr. Swann's right, it could be what's caused Clark to run off unexpectedly. Astronomers think that by Saturday morning, it should be over." She shrugged. "We can hope."

"We have to, Martha. If Clark can't control his abilities, he's going to expose himself again." He sighed. The furor over the previous summer in Metropolis was behind them.

"Sounds like he has. At least this girl from Wichita was willing to bring Clark back here. Abby knows people. If she says this girl is trustworthy, I'm willing to hear her out, Jonathan," she presumed.

He conceded a nod. "Let's hope Clark hasn't shown her too much." He frowned. "Last thing we need is for people to hear about him."

She poured water into the coffee maker and spooned grounds into a fresh filter. "Let's hear this girl out. Then we'll see what we need to do." She heard a vehicle approaching. "Sounds like someone's coming!"

He rushed to the door. Peering outside, he saw Sam parking beside the house. "Better get that coffee on, Martha. It's them!" He watched as the two teens got out. Then he rushed to embrace his son. "Clark!"

"Told you so," Sam whispered. She motioned with her head. "Go on."

Clark pulled his father into an embrace. "Sorry, Dad. It just happened."

"It's okay. We're working on why it happened." Jonathan held Clark close for a dozen heartbeats. "Meantime your Mom's got coffee on in the house. Let's go in."

"That sounds great." Clark grinned at the thought of his home's safety and relative sanity. "Mom?"

"Oh, Clark! I'm glad you're safe!" Martha ran toward him. She hugged him closely. "We know it wasn't your fault." She continued this for about thirty seconds before releasing him. Then she turned to Sam. "Thank you. We're Clark's parents."

"It's my pleasure, Mrs. Kent. I'm Samantha Cooper but you can call me Sam. Judge Ross vouched for Clark back in Wichita. He's pretty interesting under all the flannel," Sam accepted. She shook Martha's and then Jonathan's respective hands. "We've had a nice drive out here. I'm eager to see more of the town and meet people."

"There'll be time for that. Why don't you come in? We've got some coffee and cookies ready," Martha invited. She inspected Clark once again. She winced at the tears in his jeans and shirt sleeves. Still she buried the response while leading the others back into the house. "Sam, how do you take your coffee?"

"Some milk and a couple of sugars. Thanks," Sam accepted. "This seems really nice. My friends in Goddard and Maize would love this."

"Really? You know farmers there?" Jonathan perked up his interest.

"Really. Some folks drive their tractors into Wichita. It takes some getting used to. I admit I've been to their farms once or twice but not more than that. All part of life in Kansas. Right?" Sam supposed. She accepted the warm mug from Martha. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent." She took a sip and nodded. "This really hits the spot! Thanks!"

"Mom's coffee is great. Wait until dinner. Her cooking's great," Clark complimented.

"Thanks, Clark. We're have a nice supper tonight. Pete and Lana will be here soon, I imagine. You like pork, Sam?"

"I cook pork chops for myself. I haven't had a good pork roast since my Mom passed away. That'd be wonderful, Mrs. Kent. Thank you," Sam expressed. "She used to make them with sliced potatoes and gravy. I love them mashed too by the way." She bit into a cookie. "Mmm! Love these oatmeal cookies!"

"You should be in for a treat then. I'm sorry to hear about your mother. How about your father? Do you need to let him know you're here?" Martha supposed.

Sam shrugged. "I'll text him tonight from my room. He's wrapped up in his business anyhow. He'll be back this weekend. I keep things going during the week while he's gone. I made sure that everything was turned off before we left." She took another gulp of coffee. "It'll be nice to see more of the town and everyone."

"Maybe we might go to the Talon for a coffee or something," Clark offered.

"We might have everyone over here instead, Clark. Sorry, Sam. Maybe Pete might bring you there?" Jonathan countered.

Sam understood that point. "Clark, your Dad's right. It's not your fault but you can't control your powers. You could stand up from a table and end up jumping through the ceiling or something. You did knock me off my feet this morning."

"He what?" Martha looked at Clark. "What happened?"

Clark winced. "I guess I ran into her before I stopped. It's not like I could help it."

"Sam just said that, Son. We just have to be careful," Jonathan advised. "Sam, are you free on Saturday?"

"I have a concert back in Wichita that night. During the day, I am. I wouldn't be able to drive back out here. Sorry," Sam replied.

"Clark, Pete and Lana are going to an apple orchard in Derby on Saturday. Maybe you could go too?" Martha supposed.

"As long as I'm home by 4, I'd love that! Maybe we can do pizza. I know this great place and it's only a mile or two north of 54. I don't want to just invite myself though. This is your day, Clark, along with the others." Sam sipped on her coffee. While she definitely wanted to get to know Clark better and spend the day with Pete not to mention one or two of the classmates she'd heard about, she wasn't about to ruin someone else's good time in the process.

"We'll probably be back in the room, sleep over and then do the drive back early anyhow. Pete might come back later because he'll be with his Mom," Clark noted. "If everyone is good with it, you'd be a great addition."

"Thanks, Clark. Weekends can drag. I do practice with my violin but it'll be nice to be with you guys," Sam expressed.

"Just as long as we keep things under wraps until whatever this is runs its course," Jonathan cut in.

"Well I'll do my best to help out, Mr. Kent," Sam assured him.

_Will I be able to even have a good time? Why did this stuff have to happen now? _Clark shook his head.

Seemed that the challenges never ended…..


	16. Advice

Chapter 17

[Smallville High—After School]

Lana tromped to her locker glad to be done with that particular day. Her French pop quiz just added to the earlier challenges from her morning classes. Besides that, she would have to check in on the Talon at some point. Chloe and her Dad had left for Colorado leaving her in charge of the house for at least a week and a half. And then there was Clark's situation. _He was really in Wichita? How did he get there? Could it be those creeps from Metropolis? _She rubbed her forehead. Despite being 'just friends' with Clark, her concern pressed into deeper levels than that. _At least Pete's friend found him and is bringing him back. _She collected a few books for that night's homework. Then she shut the door again. _At least Pete's showing interest in someone. That in itself is really great especially if he does have to spend more time there. Can't wait to meet her. Bet she's really nice. _She descended the stairs and headed for the parking lot. There she found Pete waiting by their vehicles. "Hey, Pete! Any word?"

"Yeah. Sam and Clark got to the farm about an hour ago. Everything seems okay." Pete pulled out his phone. Typing quickly he shot Sam a text. Then he unlocked his car door. "Let's see how things are going. Maybe we'll grab a coffee at the Talon later? Clark might be up for that."

"That sounds great. I wish Chloe was going to be around. She was so bummed out that she missed Sam's visit," she lamented.

He nodded. For the first time the realization of Clark's situation _vis-à-vis _Lana and Chloe dawned on him. He still cared for Chloe on certain levels. He had feelings for Sam that had potential to develop further. _This is tough! All of the times I used to get on Clark about this stuff. Now I'm doing it. _He rolled his eyes.

"You okay, Pete?" she cut in.

"Huh? Oh yeah! Hey let's see how Sam's liking our town. Come on!" Pete put on his best front for her sake. He got into his car and waited for her.

_I just hope Clark's okay. Meantime maybe Pete just needs to relax. Easier said than done, Lana. You know that! _She got into her blazer and started the motor. Then she followed him toward the Kent Farm.

[Kent Farm—About Half an Hour Later]

Clark glanced out the Loft window toward the fields below. His mind pondered an analogy. He wondered if he would really ever have a chance at a normal life. However every time he tried, the result came up stunted at best and ashes at their worst. _Eric…the tornadoes…the meteors…last summer…and now this mess! _He sighed deeply. His eyes considered his open palms. "How can I do that to people when I can't even control myself?"

"How can you what, Clark?"

He shook his head. He'd been so deep in his reverie that he'd forgotten Sam was there. "How can people like us have normal lives?"

"People like us?" She surveyed the barn. "I think your folks do pretty well in that regard with you. You have some friends. At least they're around. My Dad wants me to hide my wind stuff." She shook her head. "Can I be blunt?"

"Why not?" he relented. "Everyone else lays it on me. Go ahead."

She arched an eyebrow. "First of all you aren't the _only one _with abilities in the world. Secondly there are a lot of us who have to conceal ourselves in plain sight. Maybe you might get over those particular chips on your shoulder? I'm not saying you shouldn't be careful. I know better than that from my own experience. I'm just saying it's easier with support."

He could almost hear Jonathan ranting the opposite at him. "My folks would say different."

"And yet I proved myself to them this morning. Right?" she countered. "That's the rub. Yes be careful. Yes people have to prove they can handle your secret, my secret or anybody's for that matter." She sipped on the lukewarm remainder of her coffee. "There are a couple of folks who know about me in Wichita. I know about them too. Still we keep each other's secrets." She shrugged. "With due respect, I wouldn't tell you about them and I wouldn't tell them about you. I expect you'll keep my secret too."

"Absolutely." He walked back over to the couch. "Does Pete know about you?"

"Unless it gets any further than friendship, why would I do that to him?" She looked him in the eye. "At times he seems to have a heavy weight on his shoulders. When I ask him about you and your friendship, he gets evasive. Now I get why. If we were to get involved, I'd have to tell him at a certain point. After that I have to trust him. In that regard, Clark, I have to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?" He took a gulp from his own cup.

"Thank you for showing me that Pete is capable of such trust. If he can keep your secret, he could keep mine too." She exhaled. Her lips turned upward into a broad smile. "I don't want to pull him away from you guys. Still it would be great to have a boyfriend I can trust. Right?"

"If he feels the same, sure. Pete's a great friend," he agreed albeit with a hedge in his voice. "I want to trust like that. I…." He bowed his head.

"Maybe Lana?" She put her cup down. "It's Lana. Isn't it? You're afraid she'll be revolted by your gifts and run away?"

He frowned. "She's had a hard time with people who are like us, Sam. I…."

"But if you're to have a chance with her, Clark, you owe it to her to let her know. If she truly cares, she'll deal with it. I can see Pete goes through Hell keeping your secret. Still he thinks it's worth it. From what Pete's told me, Lana and your friend, Chloe, both tracked you down in Metropolis last summer. Wow. I'm impressed. To put everything on hold and go after someone who's all but run away from them? Those are the people you hang on to, Ace." She punctuated that with another sip from her mug. "Since then she's stayed pretty close. Lana, I mean."

"She wants to be friends," he cut that notion off.

She shook her head. "Look, Clark, exs typically don't hang around as friends much less want to spend afternoons with each other at the lake or plan weekends as part of groups across the state. She cares. She _wants _to be part of your life. Can you trust her with that? I guess that's what you have to ask yourself."

"There's so much that I'm figuring out for myself. I'm overwhelmed about the changes of the past six months," he admitted. "How can I expect her to deal with that when I barely can?"

"Hence why the whole Metro episode?" Sam nodded. "Clark, it's Hell but we have to deal with our demons head on. Running away doesn't solve anything. I learned to be careful…and be subtle with how I use my wind stuff. I also don't tell everyone."

He mulled that observation over. "I'm doing that now."

"Your parents want you to be careful. Your Dad, from what I can tell, is obsessive about it. At some point, you do have to have people around you to support you." She heard a horn honking from out front. "Sounds like we've got company." She practically sprang off of the couch. "Just consider what I said. Okay, Clark?" She started back down the stairs.

_Trust. It would be nice if I can fit it between Earth and Krypton. _He shook his head. Maybe things would shape up at some point…

…at least one could hope….


	17. Introductions at the Farm

Chapter 18

Lana restrained her urge to pin the accelerator between town and the farm. Her concern practically shoved her down the state road. The potential of putting Pete and herself back on Sheriff Adams' radar tempered the need for speed on the other hand. _Maybe now his parents might open up? _She parked in front of the canary farmhouse. Seeing the unfamiliar car out front, she leaned back in her seat. "Would that be Samantha's car?" She glanced back toward Pete's car.

Behind her, he honked his horn.

_They know we're here now. _She undid her seatbelt and got out. Still, given everything that had happened during the previous summer, she could understand a little caution on everyone's part.

Jonathan stepped out on the porch. "Pete? Lana?"

"It's just us, Mr. Kent. We wanted you to know we were here," Pete told him.

"I appreciate that. Clark and your friend, Samantha, are in the barn," Jonathan informed him.

_In the barn? _Lana looked toward the other structure. For a heartbeat, Jealousy burned inside of her. She felt out of sorts.

Seeing the familiar green hue in her eyes, Pete sighed. _Clark gets that way over her. Now the boot's on the other foot. Just friends? Rigghhhttt! _"Sam likes to talk in private a lot, Lana. It's all good." He pointed out the other two teens who were coming out the barn door. "There they are! Hey, Clark! Sam! You made it!" Happiness and Relief prompted a big grin to spread across his face.

"Hey, Pete! I'm glad I ran into Sam. She's great. Everything okay?" Clark complimented.

"I don't believe you!" Lana chastised. "You had us worried over your disappearance _again_!"

Sam nudged Clark forward. "Told you. Go. Talk to her." She motioned with her head toward Lana.

Clark wanted to take a moment to compose himself. Instinct desired a breath to spin a story to cover the events in question. His eyes looked everywhere around the yard for some inspiration in that regard….

…but they found his mother's garden by the house instead….

…and another Lana-advisory in the process….

_If you don't open up, you're going to miss something amazing._

"That's Clark, Sam. Hey! Good to see you! Thanks for bringing my main man back here. How was the drive?" Pete cut in.

"Really scenic actually. Thanks. Clark pointed out some highlights. I introduced him to Braums." Sam chuckled. "Can't wait to see more of town."

"Clark, you got a treat. Those burgers are great! Thanks for doing this, Sam. Welcome to Smallville!" Pete cheered.

"I appreciate that, Pete. It is really nice out here. Maybe we can talk later? I'd like that coffee," Sam suggested.

"You got it. Everything cool in Wichita?" Pete asked.

"More or less. We're all on vacation there. At least I'm out here rather than hanging by myself. Right?" Sam noted. She looked around at their surroundings. "This is great. Mr. and Mrs. Kent seem really nice. I want to meet some of your friends." She looked toward Lana. "Lana, right? Hi. I'm Sam Cooper. It's a pleasure."

"Lana Lang. I agree with Pete. It's a really nice thing you did. We appreciate it. Thanks for the above and beyond. As Pete said, welcome to town. Hope you like it." Lana put her hand out.

Sam shook it. "My pleasure. Better than letting Clark ride the milk run on some bus for twelve hours. Right? I hope everyone here is as nice as you all are. Pete and Clark have told me a lot about the Talon. You're the manager. Right?"

"Lex Luthor and I run it together. You should go in there while you're here. I'd like to know what you think when you do," Lana invited. "Speaking of awesome things, Pete said you play the violin?"

"Yes. I actually have a concert this weekend." Sam deflected that with a shrug. "No big deal."

"Excuse me?" Pete jumped in. "You're invited to play with the Wichita Symphony and it's no big deal? Yeah right!"

"You're into classical music now?" Clark inquired both in surprise and as a jab.

Pete narrowed his eyes at his friend. "We have to be open to new things. Right? Maybe you might want to try that?" He motioned to Lana.

"You know what I think," Sam agreed. "Lana, I need to ask a favor. I know Mrs. Kent and you are working on her preserves. Mind if I help too? Just want to experience this for myself. I don't know how much help I'll be but I'd like to pitch in."

Lana nodded. A big grin spread across her face. "If Mrs. Kent says okay, I'm always good with more help. Maybe we all might chip in. Right, Clark?" She glanced toward the Plaid Prince.

"Sure." Clark wasn't sure if the activity would trigger another episode. Still he couldn't say no especially with Lana making the suggestion.

Caution was in order…..


	18. Outed

Chapter 19 [Twenty Minutes Later]

With more volunteers than she'd initially anticipated, Martha set things up on the counter. She set two big plastic bowls—one with strawberries and the other with blueberries—in front of Clark, Lana and Sam. "Sam, just cut the tops off of your berries. We'll wash them again after that."

"Okay, Mrs. Kent." Sam glanced down at the blue pile in her bowl. "Bet I get to the bottom of mine first." She smirked almost mischievously at the couple beside her.

"You're on," Lana agreed. "Ready, Clark?"

"I'm ready." Clark looked to Pete. "Want to give Sam a hand?"

Pete sat by Jonathan at the table watching. "Nah. I'm sitting this one out. Sam's got it." He toasted her with his mug.

"Thanks, Pete." Sam cut the first top off of her blueberry bowl. She set that one back in the bowl and went to her next one. Hearing him cheering her on warmed her heart. She set to work not wanting to disappoint him.

Lana chopped away on strawberries. Still she could see that Sam more than match her pace even with Clark's help. "Come on, Clark. We've got to go faster."

Clark sliced a strawberry at a slower and more deliberate pace than even his 'normal acting pace' at school and elsewhere. He wanted to help. However he also didn't want to trigger another episode. "Lana, sorry. I…" He saw her skeptical look and relented, "All right." He dialed up his effort to 'quick human pace'. He chopped a few berries and put them aside. Then did a few more. As Sam did for Pete, he didn't want to disappoint Lana. He glanced over at the "competition".

"Clark, it'll be okay. Go with it!" Sam goaded playfully.

Clark glanced at his parents. He didn't want to risk anything. Still he pressed on. He kept going matching the girls' pace. The moment took him sapping his concentration.

Then another surge jolted him….

He spasmed. Then his hand started slicing through berries at super speed. "Lana, get back! I…I can't stop!" His hand kept going. The blade whisked faster and faster in a silver streak through the fruit, the bottom of the bowl and into the counter's surface despite the Formica's hardness.

"Not again!" Sam dropped her own knife. Instinctively she pointed at Clark. "Sorry for this!" She focused.

A powerful gust of wind shoved Clark away from the counter and onto the couch across the room. It pushed Lana into the other wall.

As he made contact with the soft cushions, the energy ebbed again. He breathed heavily. "No…no…no…why?" he protested in a pained whisper.

"CLARK!" Martha screamed. She rushed across the room to his side.

Pete stared at Sam. "Did you just do that?" He looked her over clearly surprised at what she'd just done.

"She pointed and I felt that," Lana told them. "It was like the wind before a storm." She flexed her arms and elbows. "How did you do that? Were you infected by the meteors too?"

"I wanted to tell you, Pete. Just wanted to pick the right moment," Sam admitted. She leaned against the counter while trying to collect herself and make right of the situation. "And no, Lana, I wasn't 'infected' nor am I sick." She let out an exasperated breath. "I have abilities just like Clark does. I've never been around meteors. Still a thank you would be nice." She joined Pete across the room. "Clark, are you okay? What happened? Another flare up?"

"Another…what?" Lana asked. She turned toward the two parents.

"He's been dealing with this since early this morning," Jonathan told her.

"Yeah. I was trying to…be careful. Sorry. Got lost in the moment." Clark slowly climbed to his feet.

"Clark, you were cutting that fruit so fast." Lana tried to process what she'd just witnessed. She considered the gouged counter. "This shouldn't have been scratched."

"He didn't mean to hurt anyone, Lana. Thanks to Sam, you're good," Pete pointed out. After making sure Clark was okay, he turned to Sam. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just dealing with things." Sam shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Kent. I should've known better than to goad Clark on. I thought we were safe in the house."

"Hey! Again, nobody's hurt and you're a hero," Pete reminded her.

Sam embraced Pete. She buried her face in his shoulder. "Why do people have to react like this when I let it out? WHY?"

"Like what?" Lana struggled between Guilt and Shock. "It's not every day you see someone just wave their hands and blow you across the room." She composed herself. "It's just that…"

"Just what, Lana?" Clark cut in. "I know we've had bad situations with meteor-infected folks. Still Sam and I have both helped you. She did it now. I've done it several times. We do it because we care."

"We've got serious history in this town, Sam," Pete added.

Lana stood numbly off to the side. Clark's explanation knocked her world off of its axis. She's only known metahumans as misguided or downright evil. Even someone like Byron Moore, a victim in his own right, had raged out of control before being kept in the dark. This was the first time someone with abilities had helped her…at least with her being aware of it.

"Clark's helped you before. You just weren't aware of it," Martha informed her.

"The twisters," Lana realized. She sucked in a deep breath. "You were there with me."

"I was," Clark conceded in a tone just above a whisper. "I've always protected you. I wanted to tell you so many times."

"That's the truth, Lana," Pete jumped in. "He has to be careful just like Sam does. Still he can't help but keep you safe."

"Then why did Clark go into hyper drive just now? Why did you lose control?" Lana put her hands up to calm herself. "Did you start those fires last year?"

"Lana, just like right now. He couldn't control himself," Jonathan explained. "Outside forces."

"Outside forces?" Lana narrowed her eyes. "Mr. Kent, with due respect, Clark can't deal with himself at times. He flaked out twice in the past year. Then we get the fires which he somehow started."

"You have heat powers too?" Sam wondered.

"I do," Clark admitted. "Sometimes a new ability starts up. I have to deal with having it much like you're dealing with me having it right now. I have to cope with it. Then I can practice and learn to control it." He shook his head. "My heat vision came up because of…well….pheromones."

"Pheromones? I've got to hear this." Lana crossed her arms. "So something got you so worked up that you burned up the Talon and that classroom's projector screen?"

"Not something, Lana. Someone." Pete looked to Clark and then her again. "You okay."

"Me? What did I do? I…." Lana winced. "Your feelings for me literally caused your eyes to flash fire? Seriously? Wow." She rubbed her forehead.

"I've got it under control," Clark affirmed. "It's just that everything's going super weird today."

"It's the solar stuff we heard about in science class. Somehow it's messing with you. That's why you ended up in Wichita and did the speedy chop there," Pete informed him.

Clark sulked. "Great. So I'm stuck here until the Sun is normal again."

"It's just until Saturday," Martha interjected.

"We hope," Jonathan chimed in.

"Well I'd be happy to help so Clark doesn't expose himself. I do have to be back in Wichita on Friday night to practice for my concert. If it's all right, maybe I can play a little out in the barn?" Sam offered.

"That's be nice. Thank you," Martha accepted. "We can put you up for tonight and tomorrow in the guest room."

"I know my Mom would appreciate that, Mrs. Kent. That'll save her the room fee," Pete indicated. "Maybe that tour might be good, Sam? We can come back."

"I'd like that, Pete. Clark, why don't you take it easy? It'll be all right. Sorry for the scene, Folks." Sam accompanied Pete out the door and toward their cars.

Lana slumped into a chair. As much as she tried to take all of these details in, her mind still struggled to even doggie paddle with the Big Secret. "So Pete's known?"

"Since last year." Clark made his way across the room. With the washed out feeling starting to ebb, he felt somewhat all right again. His eyes darted every which way except at her. "He found out kind of the same way."

"Same way what?" Lana looked toward his parents.

"Pete found out when Clark saved him from Dr. Hamilton last year," Jonathan clarified. "He's kept Clark's secret ever since."

"So you only let people in after they find out?" Lana demanded. "What about the rest of us? You'd push everyone else away?"

Jonathan bristled. "To protect him, _yes_. Lana…" He let out a pronounced sigh and glanced toward Clark. "Clark wanted to tell you. We didn't allow him to."

"Why? Haven't I proved myself enough?" Lana wiped away indignant tears from her eyes. "I love Clark! I know he's a good person! Yes this is all overwhelming! OKAY? I…."

Just then her phone buzzed.

Lana ignored it. "I'll do anything for you all to accept me! Doesn't that mean anything?"

"Of course it does. But it works both ways. You have to accept Samantha and Clark for what they are too," Martha pointed out.

Clark scratched his head. He saw the familiar pain in Lana's face and heard it in her voice. "Does this have anything to do with what happened in the barn?" He heard the phone buzzing more insistently.

"Maybe you should get that."

Lana just about ripped the phone from her pocket. She frowned at the screen. "Message from V. Swann? Who?"

"Dr. Swann's the guy in New York I went to see last spring. He helped me with certain questions. You might want to look at that text," Clark explained.

Lana opened the text. She stared it and read….

"_Miss Lang,_

_Please stop the accusations. They are counterproductive. Clark was not able to tell you before. Now that you know, I suspect he can be more open with you. I will be calling the Kent Farm tonight. You can be part of the conversation if you're willing to listen and understand."_

"Listen and understand?" Lana stared at her phone. She looked at the Kents each in turn. "How'd he get my number? Who is he?"

"Virgil Swann is one of the top astronomers in the world apparently. He reached out to me last spring as I said," Clark continued. "He spammed my email until I answered him. Chloe and Pete knew about it. Guess when you have his money and connections, doors open." He shrugged.

"So he knows about you too, Clark?" Lana demanded. "You do realize that when these important people know, things start happening around here? Mr. Luthor and those goons from Metropolis knew. They followed you here. Why is it that they were on this farm last summer? I know now. You're super fast. I've seen you float in a tornado. I'm guessing you're normally invulnerable. You have fire vision? Anything else?"

"Super strength," Clark conceded. He wasn't willing to tell her about the hearing or x-ray vision at that point.

"Wow." Lana folded her arms across her chest. "Good to know. Guess Vann knew what he was talking about?"

"And what was that?" Jonathan jumped in.

Lana sighed. "While he had me tied up, Vann kept ranting about Clark being a lot more than he let on. She glanced toward the Farm Boy. "He certainly had you pegged, Clark. So you can deal with bullets and fire? How about bees?"

"All of them," Clark replied. "I've saved your life several times in the process." He ran his hands through his hair. "Not that I'm keeping score or anything." He slumped into a chair. Dejection sunk his spirits further.

"And Sam? Did you know?" Lana inquired; her tone softening a bit.

"Not before this afternoon." Clark went to slap the table. Somehow he managed to stop his hand just above the wooden surface. "Don't need more firewood." He lowered his hand. "You know Sam's in your corner, Lana. She just told me that you should know about this stuff. So she isn't bad. How about we give her the benefit of the doubt? She's done enough for us today."

"I guess I owe her a thank you and an apology," Lana conceded. She glanced toward her phone. "Maybe I can talk to this guy?"

"He says he'll be calling tonight. Maybe you can talk then?" Clark supposed. "Maybe we can get this cleaned up?"

"Pick up the pile and then the issues? I'm game if you are, Clark," Lana agreed.

_The truth…if you can handle it. _Clark felt the situation bearing down on himself. He'd dreamt about telling her so many times….

…pity Reality rarely happens as it does in one's dreams….


	19. Revelations

Chapter 20 [Twenty Minutes Later]

Working together, Clark and Lana wiped up the berry mess on the floor and counter. The shared activity seemed to blunt some of the edge between them. However each looked to the other needing answers to lingering questions. Occasionally a fingertip would brush the back of another hand. Requests from one set of eyes floated through the air toward its counterpart. Broom bristles would strike metal dustpan clanging for clarity.

This interchange wasn't lost on Martha and Jonathan either. While they knew Clark purposefully took it slow so not to aggravate the situation, they could feel Tension tearing at the teens. Martha perked a pot of coffee. She shook her head at the older farmer.

Jonathan frowned. _Everything was so simple before these things started coming out. _He tapped his fingers on the table. Frustration practically beaded on his forehead. He'd just wanted to keep Clark safe. He didn't understand why that was so complicated. After all every parent wanted that for their child. Right?

Still not every parent had an alien foundling under their roof either….

"Thanks for doing that, Kids," Martha expressed. She set four mugs on the table.

"No problem, Mom," Clark assured her.

"Anything to help out. Right?" Lana concurred. She put a few last flourishes across the floor with the mop. Then she wrung it out in the bucket. "Any spots we missed?"

"I'd need shades if it sparkled more," Clark complimented.

"Thanks, Clark." Lana smiled.

"Just dump it in the sink. Thank you, Lana. Then maybe you can join us at the table?" Martha instructed. She poured coffee for everyone. "Clark, can you get the milk and sugar?"

"On it." Clark put the milk, sugar and honey down on the table. "Can't have Dad going without. Right?"

"I appreciate that, Son." Jonathan offered Clark a nod and a brief smile before turning serious again. "I think we need to clear the air on certain things. I know Clark has questions about what happened last summer. Lana, you have overall questions."

"I do, Mr. Kent." Lana cleared her throat. "My questions run deeper than that. If you'll answer what you can, I'll tell Clark first about what happened in the barn." She bowed her head.

Once again Clark saw the pain written across their faces. He sighed. His actions' ramifications were playing out for him to see once more. He had to know more. "Guys, what happened?"

"Lana?" Martha turned to their guest.

Lana sucked in a pained breath. "Clark, as you know, several of the thugs from Metropolis followed you back here. I came here looking to talk to you. They'd already tied your parents up in the barn. You were unconscious. For some reason, they'd taped a green meteor to you. They tied my hands. Before they could hurt us, I fought back." Her face turned ashen. Tears sparkled down her cheeks.

"Lana, again, it wasn't your fault," Jonathan reminded her.

Clark's eyes went wide. "I've seen you fight back before. What happened then?"

Lana grimaced. "I kicked three of them into unconsciousness. The last one…he…he hit the wall…and…" She ran her hands through her hair. "Your Dad's pitchfork impaled him. Sheriff Adams said it was self-defense. It would've been him or us. It still eats at me."

Clark nodded. He glanced at his parents. Once again his rash action to destroy the Ship played its ramifications for him to feel and deal with. _The baby and now Edge's man. Then there's the pain I caused everyone. _He rubbed his forehead. "Sounds like that to me. Lana, you did what you had to. I can't say thank you enough."

"You aren't the one with blood on your hands, Clark, self-defense or not," Lana disagreed.

Clark sighed. "I've done my share too, Lana." His eyes lingered on Jonathan for a few heartbeats. His mind still heard the latter's lecture searing through his soul. "I just wanted to take care of the threats to you three. I just caused more problems." He clenched his fist.

"Take care of what?" Lana put her hands on Clark's shoulder. "Clark, does this have anything to do with the Voice? When I found you in the middle of the storm cellar…or what remained of it….you were so out of it. You were raving about a voice. I tried to talk to you but you were in shock. Then I saw you in that biker outfit with the motorcycle. You asked me to go with you. I couldn't go but…." She looked at him. "What happened up there, Clark? You couldn't have caused that big shockwave. Come on!"

Clark shook his head. His eyes flitted back and forth between his parents. "Actually, Lana…."

"Clark, that's crazy! You…." Then she saw Jonathan and Martha squirm as well. "What did you do?"

"A ghost threatened you all. I thought by destroying his means of speaking to me, I'd end the threat." Clark rolled his eyes. "Not even close. All I did was cause more problems."

"A ghost? Was that the Voice? What did you blow up that caused that?" Lana pressed.

Clark coughed. "My spaceship."

Lana raised an eyebrow. "Okay. I thought you just said your spaceship." She took a big gulp from her mug.

"I did." Clark sipped from his own mug.

"Clark, you can't have a spaceship. You're from here just like me. Granted we both lost our parents in the meteor shower but you're not like some little green man from Mars…." Lana wrinkled her brow at him.

"Actually I'm from a planet called Krypton if Dr. Swann's right not Mars, Lana. The rest of it you're right about. We both lost out parents to the meteors. Your folks died from the meteors. Mine…well…mine must've died from whatever destroyed the planet. The meteors are fragments of that world," Clark clarified.

"We still have questions as well, Lana," Martha declared. "We're hoping Dr. Swann can answer them."

Lana nodded numbly. "Questions. Yeah that's an understatement." She inadvertently slurped from her mug. "Wow. That really takes the cake, Clark. Did Pete ever see your Ship?"

"He did. So did Chloe even if she doesn't know it was mine." Clark ran his hands through his hair.

"Wait! You mean that story Chloe ran in the _Torch _about that spaceship? It was _real_?" Lana stared at him; every word shoving at her further and further. "So you're not just some meteor fr…" She stopped herself before pressing on. "Meteor infected person?"

"No, Lana. I'm from another galaxy if Dr. Swann's right." Clark leaned back against the chair. "The ghost was my birth father, Jor-El. Since I fell into the caves, there have been so many questions."

"Did Kyla have any answers?" Lana had to ask; the thought of her former rival egging her on.

"No. Well…there was something. Apparently there's truth to the whole Numan legend," Clark admitted.

"Numan? You mean the Cowache story about the guy who falls to Earth? Clark, you…" As soon as she started talking, the words turned to dust on her tongue. She'd seen him shoot fire from his eyes. He'd admitted to super strength. And the meteor shower definitely qualified as a fiery storm of destruction. She forced herself not to spring up from her seat and run away from him….

…a promise was a promise after all….

"So you're actually from…from…" Lana motioned toward the ceiling and the sky beyond it.

"Yeah. I'm still Clark though. One thing Kyla said was that my people I guess have been here before. They knew about the meteors' effects on everyone," Clark told her. "I wish I knew more."

"I wish we did as well," Jonathan cut in. "Lana, we've tried to keep Clark safe since we found him. That's why he had to keep the Secret all of this time. You've seen what happens when people find out."

"Oh yeah. There's trouble. I can see that." Lana rubbed her chin. "It's a lot to deal with. Sorry. I don't mean to harsh all over you folks. It's just…wow! That's a lot to take in. You're the last of a line of alien people who've been running around here?"

"I don't know. I just know they met the Cowaches. The glyphs on the cave walls are in their…my…native language, I guess," Clark told her.

"Clark, you were raised here. _English _is your native language not the symbols on those walls," Jonathan insisted.

"Jonathan, please," Martha interceded trying to head off another debate on this subject.

"I know that, Dad. Still if it's a part of my history, that's why I should know more," Clark countered.

"And this guy, Dr. Swann, he knows?" Lana presumed.

"He's the expert. He'll answer the questions later. I wish I knew more about this stuff so I could." Clark looked into Lana's eyes. "That's the truth."

"I know. Thanks, Clark. As I said, it's a lot to think about. It's going to be some discussion with that guy from New York," Lana assured him. She wanted to know the Secret and everything surrounding it.

Much as _Pandora _had done, she had to deal with what was in the opened box.

Four hours to go until that discussion…


	20. An Initial Bridge

Chapter 21 [Loft]

Clark paced over the faded oak boards. His mind swam over potential implications. With the day's events, Sam and Lana both knew about his abilities. Anyone who'd seen Sam and him in Wichita would be able to put 2 and 2 together. _And who will come after me next? Who's the next Phelan or Edge? _His eyes surveyed the fields behind the barn and house. He noted the plowed under rows of corn and the recently planted furrows of winter wheat. The brown grass still waved in the warm afternoon breeze. Everything seemed normal until he reached the storm cellar.

The rebuilt storm cellar's door and entrance stuck up out of the ground much as its predecessor's had done. The prairie sod had regenerated its grassy cover around it although only to about half of its normal height. It stood as a monument to his rashness and not considering the consequences of his actions…even if those actions were well-intentioned.

"Clark, we've all had rash plans." Lana wanted to say more. Still she knew that twisting the knife wouldn't do any good.

"Mine kill people. Mom lost the baby. Then everything else happened. I thought I was saving you all. Turns out I just made a bigger mess," he lamented.

"You're owning up to it." She sipped on her lukewarm coffee. "You're seeing that there are consequences. You can't just rush into something because you think it's best."

"So I should have let my parents and you die? Lana…." he disagreed.

"Of course not. I…" She shook her head. "I can't believe we're talking about you like this or that you used to have a space ship. It's overwhelming, Clark."

"Now you see why I kept the Secret. I wanted to tell you. My parents want to be careful," he presumed. "I didn't want to shut you out. I had to."

She rolled her eyes. "Clark, the storm cellar, Metro and that standoff downstairs are what happen because you did that. Even when you tried to protect me from those bullies at the Talon, it blew up. You had the right idea. Still you went way overboard." She could almost hear Sheriff Adams' comment about flying boys again in her mind. "You should have talked with us about it."

"Those guys were going to attack you, Lana. There wasn't time," he disagreed. "I could've used less force."

"They were going to sue, Clark. At least I was able to get you out of it," she reminded him. "I appreciate your help then and now. I'm just asking you to be more careful. As far as the other stuff's concerned, we could've talked and tried to come up with a plan. Maybe talk to this guy who's calling tonight? I don't know if it would work or not. I just know we can't go charging into something. We have to think about consequences. Just like you have to live with that, so do I. I will never get over those things."

"Lana, I can't say I'm sorry enough," he apologized (again).

"Clark, I know you are. I know you mean it." She stood and walked over to his side. "I think the question is what do we learn from it? I really owe Sam an apology." She sucked in a big breath. "You just let me talk like that before though."

He frowned. "It bothered me, Lana. Still it's part of the cover. I just have to remember why you are that way. Maybe though some of us who are trying to help will turn things around a bit?"

"It is." She nodded. "I'm not talking like that anymore. I just need time to wrap my head around it all. I will, Clark. I…." she started.

"That's all I can ask, Lana. Thank you." He embraced her.

"Thanks, Clark." She returned the embrace with one of her own.

At least one wall was breaking down….


	21. Amends

Chapter 22 [5:15 PM]

Sam pulled up in front of the farmhouse. The Talon had exceeded her expectations in every way. Despite her fears about small town attitudes, everyone's welcome matched the Kents'. Miranda had crafted the best moccachino she'd ever had. She couldn't believe that Lex Luthor actually knew who she was much less had enjoyed her concert in Wichita a few months prior. Byron Moore, the town's apparent poet laureate, talked with her albeit in a strangely dark room away from everyone else about lyrics and their respective Muses.

Best of all, Pete could share this world with her.

_Too bad Lana had her attitude. From what Pete said, she's had a bad experience. Still that isn't fair to Clark or me. Hope he's feeling better. Whatever's affecting him, hope he can figure it out. _Sam sulked. _Take the positives with the negatives. Maybe Lana can change. One can hope._

A rapping on the window jarred her back to reality.

She turned to find Pete waiting beside her car. "Oh! Sorry! Kind of zoned there for a minute."

"Easy to do," he assured her. "Hey we have an awesome dinner waiting. Mrs. Kent's cooking is great."

"I'm sure it is. Clark talked a lot about it," she replied. "I just don't know what to expect."

He didn't initially know what to say. He understood Lana's attitude from their shared experiences with the meteor-enhanced folks among them. He could see why Lana would be startled by Sam and Clark's abilities. Still he hoped that Lana would've had more discretion. _Clark, I hope you've talked to her. We don't need another scene like earlier, Dude! _"I'm sure it'll be cool."

"We can hope, Pete." She shut the door and followed him toward the house.

[Ten Minutes Earlier]

Lana set the last plate on the table. After the earlier tension, she wanted to set everything right. Her usual drive to pitch in went into overdrive. Under Martha's direction, she'd made mashed potatoes fixed other side dishes and set the table. "How does that look, Mrs. Kent?"

Martha stepped away from the counter where she checked on the roast. She inspected the table. "It looks great, Lana. Thank you."

"I just want things to look great for Pete and Sam. Not that you wouldn't have it that way, I…." Lana stopped not wanting to put her foot in her mouth again.

"Lana, it's okay. I know what you meant. You don't have to prove yourself to us. It looks like you're adjusting on your own. Maybe you might want to apologize to Pete and Samantha when they come in? I know we've seen our share of the meteor afflicted with emotional issues.. Maybe you might want to consider that there are good people with abilities too? Clark lives with them. Samantha seems nice. Not everything is black or white."

"Clark and I were talking about that earlier. Guess I made some comments I shouldn't have. I just want to see the good in people." Lana rubbed the back of her neck. "It was just so sudden. I…just couldn't believe what happened. I mean it happened for the best if it did have to. Clark doesn't have to be so secretive. Sam saved me from stitches probably'

"You've learned to judge people by their actions rather than just on who or what they are. We all have to do this. We should seek to improve every day. You made friends with Byron. Look at Ryan. You two really got along. Right?"

"Ryan had abilities too?" Lana scratched her head. She mulled that notion over in her mind. "Wait. He had some weirdly accurate insights. He knew about my waitress, Sky, and how she was stealing from the Talon's till. He also knew about how Clark felt about me apparently. That was from an ability?"

"Ryan had ESP from his tumor. Still it didn't make him any less human. And you know how a great a young man he was. Still he had to keep his talents under wraps as much as Clark does. I'm sure Samantha goes through the same thing in Wichita. Maybe you might just be supportive?" Martha offered.

"Right." Lana clearly saw her point.

"There you go. We can all move in the right direction. Clark's not totally innocent in that regard. Neither is Mr. Kent or Pete in that regard. Still they're trying. We can too," Martha pointed out.

"Guess everyone has a lot to think about." Lana considered the point in depth. _I can do that. _She noticed Sam and Pete coming up the front walk. "Mrs. Kent, they're here." She sucked in a composing breath. _Sam deserves better than this. You can tell her that._

"It'll be all right, Lana." Martha walked over to the door. She opened it and greeted, "Hi, Kids! Have a good time?"

"It was awesome, Mrs. Kent! Everyone was just great. Even Lex pitched in on the welcome," Pete reported with a smile.

"Pete, please!" Sam shook her head at him before continuing, "Mr. Luthor complimented me on my concert last June. He even paid for our drinks! I can't believe it. Miranda made the best mocha I've ever had. She should be in Kansas City or Metropolis."

"She's amazing on the counter," Lana agreed. "Glad to hear you had a great drink." She sucked in a deep breath. "At least my place could make up for what I said earlier. I just want you to know that I feel awful about what happened before. What Clark and you did startled me. Still I shouldn't put you down. Maybe we can start over?" She bowed her head.

Pete grinned. He leaned close to Sam. "Told you so."

Sam nodded dealing with a gauntlet of feelings at that point. She really did want to forgive and move on. Still, for Clark's sake, she wanted to make sure Lana did mean exactly what she'd just said. She smiled. "Okay. I'd like that. If you have any questions, just ask. I'll give you my email and cell if you'd like. I don't know how much help I can be with Clark's situation but I can try."

"That'd be great, Sam. I'd really appreciate that," Lana expressed. "I know it's a lot to ask but maybe we can talk at some point? I'd like to understand more."

"It isn't too much. That'd be great actually," Sam indicated. "Thanks, Lana. Mrs. Kent, where are Mr. Kent and Clark?"

"They'll be in any minute. Dinner's almost ready if you want to wash your hands," Martha noted. At that moment, she saw the other two Kents walk through the front door. "Right on time. Wash your hands and take a seat. How's everything in the fields?"

"Great. Everything looks fine." He inspected the teens and their upbeat expressions. "I trust we're all doing better?"

"We are, Mr. Kent. Thanks," Sam assured them. "Everything's okay now."

Clark squeezed Lana's hand and let his eyes sparkle into hers. He added a grin for good measure.

Lana felt lighter than air. She'd gained another friend and access to the Kents' inner circle of sorts. Moreover she was overcoming her own issues in the process.

Score one for the brunette _Barista Supreme…._


	22. Conversation

Chapter 23 [6:30 PM]

The apologies and understanding released at least most of the tension in the room. As always, Martha's pork roast and side dishes soothed the palates and filled tummies. The group answered Sam's questions about Smallville and country life. Sam, in turn, filled them in on Wichita. Martha and Jonathan reminded the teens about the burden and difficulty of keeping such secrets under wraps.

Jonathan sipped on his coffee. He was doing his best to restrain himself. Frankly, as much as he had an initial good impression of Sam, he wished that Lana and she didn't know about Clark. He longed for the days when frankly nobody in town knew about Clark for that matter. Several times he stiffen; his internal paranoia bubbling and smoldering like a volcano on the brink of an eruption.

At those times, Martha would shake her head almost imperceptibly. While she respected and agreed with him about keeping Clark's Secret, she also understood that Clark needed support. She also wanted to impress upon everyone what went into having such support.

After every interchange, the conversation would continue.

Lana, for her part, glanced at Clark several times. She was glad to be included at last. Still her previous words and attitude weighed heavily on her. _No wonder he wouldn't talk to me. He was scared I'd run away. _She frowned and rubbed the back of her neck. Still she contented herself to listen not wanting to detract from the matter at hand.

Clark smiled back at her at those points. The previous comments had hurt of course. Still he saw Contrition and Understanding dawning in her eyes. He saw she was coming to terms with being in his orbit and everything that entailed.

Adding to the dinner's warm spirit, Sam offered to play a concert for everyone on the following evening. Granted she still looked forward to resuming the canning activities on the next day. Still she had to practice for Saturday's concert. Given that she was grateful for the hospitality, she felt the need to offer something in return. Even if she couldn't do it at the Talon or an open auditorium like at Smallville High, she could keep it small and kind of cozy.

Besides she wanted to give her friends and especially Pete their own performance….

Lex, Lana and Martha convinced Jonathan to go along with having it at the mansion. They knew several such rooms there that would suit the necessary acoustics for the event. Besides it would also serve as the Welcome to Smallville that Sam would appreciate.

And that was leading up to the Call….

"Are you sure that this is the right thing for you, Clark?" Jonathan doubted. His skepticism clearly tuned in on Swann and his influence over Clark.

"Dad, he seems to be. I'm sure Lex would know about Dr. Swann. Still I don't want to ask. Why raise questions and red flags?" Clark replied trying to bury his frustration with Jonathan as well.

"Good idea," Pete chimed in.

"Pete, Mr. Luthor doesn't seem that bad. Just because he's from a particular family doesn't make him the same as his father," Sam pointed out. "I definitely know why Clark has to be careful if anyone does."

"Lex wants to be helpful. He deserves a chance," Lana voted.

"He did have us investigated, Girls," Jonathan informed them. "That's why we can't be too careful."

"Seriously?" Pete shook his head. "Clark, and _why _do you still hang out with him?"

"Pete, he had questions. He wanted answers to a particular situation. I wish he'd backed off sooner. Still he wanted to know," Clark told his friend.

"I can't believe Lex had you investigated though, Clark. I know there were things that didn't add up around you. Still…wow…" Lana washed that notion down with a draught from her mug.

Before anyone else could say anything, the phone rang.

Martha sighed. "Here we go." She walked over to the phone and answered it, "Good evening, Kent Farm."

"Good Evening, Mrs. Kent. My name is Virgil Swann. I spoke with Clark last spring. I trust everyone is all right tonight?"

"We're still wondering about Clark. Otherwise yes we are. We have three of Clark's friends at the table with us as well," Martha informed him.

"Miss Cooper, Miss Lang and Mr. Ross I imagine. Before we begin, I will need assurances from them that they will keep our discussions between us. Clark's situation merits such discretion," Swann requested.

"That's right. Thank you, Dr. Swann. Just a minute." Martha looked at the others. "Can you keep what we're talking about between ourselves? We can't let this out."

"I'm definitely on that," Pete agreed.

"For Clark, I can do it," Lana concurred.

"Sure," Sam chimed in.

"Thanks, Guys," Clark expressed. He definitely felt better about the support.

"That goes for you as well, Clark," Jonathan reminded his son. "Martha, how will everyone hear about this? We don't have a speaker phone."

"Do you have a computer I can link to? I promise it will only be for our discussion. Then I will cut off my connection," Swann suggested.

Jonathan bristled. He definitely didn't like giving someone access to his home. The fact he barely knew anything of Swann made that worse

"I have one! Give me a sec!" Pete volunteered. He grabbed his keys and rushed outside. A minute later he sprinted back in with the laptop in question.

"Dr. Swann, is that really a good idea?" Martha exchanged looks with her husband. As much as she respected the astronomer's credentials, she didn't want him having that kind of access.

"I promise you, Mrs. Kent, I only want the best for Clark. I am not like other individuals who'd want to control him or his abilities. I simply wish to help. You realize that I haven't made a phone call in thirty years? That should tell you how much I value this," Swann assured her.

Martha considered that. She understood that Swann had the resources to force his way into their lives whether they wanted him to or not. Still he was trying to work with them rather than impose control. "Again I appreciate that. You'll pardon my husband and me if we're cautious."

"Indeed I do. Discretion is important to me. I admit that I'm disappointed in Clark's lack thereof over this summer. I hope he can learn more about that," Swann replied. "Pete's back. I'll let you speak with him." She motioned him over to the phone.

Pete set his laptop on the counter and turned it on. Then he accepted the phone. "Hey, Dr. Swann?"

"Yes, Mr. Ross. Thank you for your haste. I appreciate it. My thanks as well for helping the Kents keep their secret," Swann expressed.

"Clark's my best friend. It's no problem." Pete watched his screen come to life. He brought up his Internet browser. "Ready."

"You should see a prompt in the lower right corner. Click on it. I will take over while we're talking. Then I will release the connection once we're finished," Swann instructed.

Pete glanced at Clark. He remembered how easily the scientist had gained access to Clark's email and Chloe's computer the previous spring. He saw the prompt blinking on his screen.

"Go ahead, Pete," Jonathan relented. While he really didn't want to do it, he wanted to hear what Swann had to say about Clark.

Pete clicked on the screen prompt. "There you go."

A small window popped up on the screen. Swann came into view on it. "Thank you, Mr. Ross. Now I see you all. Miss Lang and Miss Cooper, thank you for your discretion."

"So you helped Clark with our family project last year?" Lana studied the face on the screen.

"Indeed, Miss Lang. Many of those questions remain between Clark, his parents and me. We are here to discuss current events at the moment." Swann noticed Sam staring at him. "Is something wrong, Miss Cooper?"

"No…no, Sir. You're Virgil Swann! Sorry I have a friend in Wichita who really into Physics and Astronomy. She's read all of your work and is a real fan. I know I can't tell her but…." Sam blushed dark red.

"I'm sorry for that, Miss Cooper. We must keep this secret as well," Swann apologized. "As for the matter of Clark's issues, we must take care between now and Saturday morning."

"Is it tied to the solar stuff we heard about in Science class?" Pete recalled.

"Indeed, Mr. Ross," Swann agreed. "For some reason, the solar storms are affecting Clark's control over his talents. As the flares surge, so do his talents. As the flares abate, he weakens. The storms should end by Friday evening. After that everything should return normal."

"Between then and now, we should keep him here. We don't need any further incidents," Jonathan asserted.

"We can bring your assignments, Dude," Pete volunteered. "Last thing we need is for Chloe or anyone seeing you do what you do."

"I'll bring you a coffee tomorrow. I'd like to talk about what we've been through together, Clark. I promise we'll keep to what Dr. Swann just asked us to. Is that okay?" Lana requested.

"Sure, Lana. I'd appreciate that, Guys. What about Principal Reynolds? He'll be all over me about attendance," Clark noted.

"I'll call in the morning and talk to him. You're staying here tomorrow and Friday, Clark, to be safe. If the Sun situation is resolved by Saturday, we'll see about that trip to Wichita," Martha resolved. "Can you let us know about that, Dr. Swann?"

"I can indeed. Thank you, Mrs. Kent. I believe that resolves what we need to speak about. Clark, please do not leave the farm and keep the use of your abilities to a minimum. Until everything is back to normal, we don't need to attract any more attention. Is that understood?" Swann declared.

"Yes, Sir." Clark bowed his head. He didn't really want to feel like a prisoner due to the circumstances beyond his control.

"I can help with the chores if you show me what to do, Mr. and Mrs. Kent," Sam volunteered.

"We'd appreciate that, Sam. Thank you," Jonathan expressed. Granted he didn't relish having a guest around at that point. Still he valued her good attitude and willingness to help.

Clark nodded numbly. Granted with the current issues, the last thing he wanted was for Principal Reynolds and possibly Sheriff Adams on his case.

"Then we shall speak soon. Thank you, Everyone. Mr. Ross, after I disconnect, you will have control of your laptop again. Have a good evening," Swann concluded. His screen went dark.

"Don't worry, Clark. We'll keep you caught up," Lana assured him.

"It's just a couple of days, Clark. It'll be all right," Martha chimed in.

_It may be a couple of days but it's going to seem like a year! _Clark griped to himself.

Sometimes one couldn't lose for winning….


	23. Heavenly Visit

Chapter 24 [Sullivan House—9:15 PM]

Lana exhaled sharply. She tapped her fingers across the table's oak surface. To tell the truth, the current situation left her torn. She definitely needed to talk to someone. On the other hand, however, she couldn't talk to *anyone*.

Quite the conundrum really….

For the past year, she'd bugged Clark to open up to her. She wanted to know the Truth. She wanted to be in his orbit. Now she was. Like a modern day Pandora, she'd been around the box when it opened. The escaping secrets had changed everything. The weight of her earlier statements to Cyrus, the supposed alien boy, and Clark and Chloe rang in her ears. She saw now that aliens did exist. She had to deal with not all metahumans were bad or misguided. That in fact those enhanced beings could do good things for others.

_What a headache. Nothing's easy. Is it? _She picked up her mug and sipped on the steaming green tea. The beverage soothed her mood a little. Still she felt overwhelmed. _Clark is really different! Is he human? _She glanced around the area. For once, she felt relieved to have the house to herself. She wouldn't have to guard against Chloe's snooping or watchful eyes. _Is this what it's like for Clark, Pete or Sam?_

_Clark is still Clark. But what is that exactly? _She rubbed her temples trying to assuage the strain. He seemed human. He ate, drank, slept and fretted like everyone else. He could definitely work like anyone else. Problem was he wasn't like everyone else. _Is that a bad thing? Still what would be a good thing? _She washed that down with another draught from her mug.

A creak from the living room floor stirred her.

She noticed a momentary glow from the darkened area. "Hello?"

"It's all right, Lana," a familiar voice called. "Just a minute."

Her eyes went wide. "Mom?" Before she dropped the mug, she set it back on the table. She forced her numb legs to stand on the tile underfoot.

Laura watched her from the living room door. "It's me." She smiled. "Do you have a hug for me?"

"Of course! But how are you doing this? You're…you're…" Lana started before her reply caved in under the stammering. She forced one foot in front of the other. Her tongue similarly struggled to find the last defining word.

"The word, I believe, is _dead_?" Laura seized onto her daughter pulling her into a warm embrace. "I was sent back to talk with you tonight."

"Sent back? So you're back?" Lana gasped. Hope warmed her heart.

Laura shook her head. "As I much as I wish that was the case, it isn't. I'm just here for this conversation." She glanced toward the stove. "Could I have a mug of that tea? It looks good."

"Sure! I…" Lana blinked collecting her thoughts. A heartbeat later, she snapped into an instinctual flow. She fixed the requested mug and handed it to her mother. "How do you take it?"

"Maybe some honey? That would be great," Laura accepted.

"Coming up!" Lana brought the honey jar and a teaspoon to the table. "Here you go. I wish I remembered you drinking green tea. I kind of remember Dad and you drinking coffee."

"We did." Laura poured a pinch of honey into her cup. Then she stirred it. "When I had a lot to consider, I drank this. It helps me to think." She sipped on the tea. "You found a good blend. In a lot of ways, you're following in my path very well."

"I want to learn more about you, Mom." Lana took another draught from her mug. "Nell doesn't talk about you very much. I know it hurts because you're gone. Still I want to do more things like you did. That's why I was at the Kents' today. I wanted to learn about your pies."

"Mrs. Kent was just like you at one point. She dedicated her to learning. That and a lot of practice certainly did the trick. You'll get there too. You're already choosing your stands. You're a hard worker and a great friend. Just like some of our family members, you've made a difficult romantic choice as well."

Lana bowed her head. Her mind once again struggled with the White Elephant in the Corner. "Clark."

'Yes Clark." Laura sighed. "Once again our families intertwine. It's never easy but we do feel that attraction. Your Aunt Nell cared for Jonathan Kent years ago before he met Martha. And then there was your Great Aunt Louise."

"Great Aunt Louise?" Curiosity jabbed at Lana. She felt herself drawn toward the mention of this unknown relative.

"Yes. She lived here in Smallville back in the fifties. She felt repressed. She tried to run away but your Great Grandfather stopped her. Then her world changed when a stranger came to town. He swept her off of her feet. He was here for only a brief time but he changed her world." Laura rubbed her own forehead.

"How did he do that? Was he a Kent too?" Lana pressed wanting to hear more.

"No." Laura considered her next words. She took another hearty gulp from her mug. "Joe was from a place as different to Smallville as night is to day. He claimed that the moons dominated the night sky where he was from. She wanted to go with him despite the fact they couldn't be married where he came from."

Lana frowned. She was entranced by her mother's account. Still the mention of "moons" and predetermined marriage raised her eyebrow. "There's only one Moon, Mom."

"Here there is. Where Joe's from however…." Laura started to reply.

"Joe was an _alien_!" Lana realized. "So Aunt Louise would know what I'm dealing with! I wonder what happened to them?"

"Aunt Louise died from a gunshot wound. Joe returned to his world. He married. He and his wife had a son." Laura shuddered. "Then the world in question, Krypton, exploded. Joe only had time to get his son into a small space craft. Just after the Ship was launched, Krypton exploded hurling glowing emerald fragments into the void. Both rocks and Ship hurled across space and toward Earth. They crash landed across Lowell County. Joe's baby, Kal, was found by Jonathan and Martha Kent."

"Wait!" Lana's eyes went wider. "Kal's what Clark called himself when he was sick! You mean that Aunt Louise's Joe is Clark's biological father? Clark is from that alien world that….what did you call it?"

"Krypton. Yes Joe…_Jor-El_…was Clark's biological father. Yes Clark was born there and came here. The Kents raised him to fit in amongst us. Still he wants to use his abilities. He wants to be accepted for both his Earth and Kryptonian heritages. And, despite all of the misdirects and shutting you out, his heart beats for you," Laura affirmed. "I know it's a lot to take in."

"Yeah you can say that again." Lana felt her mind seizing up yet again. "An astronomer, Dr. Swann, called the farm earlier. He knew about Clark's connection to the Sun. I wonder if he knows about Krypton?"

Laura seemed to go distant for a few heartbeats. "He knows where Krypton is. He knows about Kal…Clark and Jor-El. He doesn't know the details. Much as he was doing with you tonight, be careful what details you share with him and others."

Lana nodded. "That seems to be the new normal. No wonder Clark's been all cloak and dagger with this stuff. I just wish I could be close to him. If Aunt Louise couldn't be with Joe…."

"You can be with Clark. He wants you. Just show interest. Stand with him and value him as a whole being. He may not be from Earth but he's still the guy you fell in love with. Remember that." Laura finished her tea. "That was great, Lana. Thank you." She glanced up toward the ceiling.

"What?" Lana demanded. She didn't want her mother to leave.

"It's time. Sorry, Sweetie. I have to go. Your Dad and I love you. We're always with you though. Take care of yourself. Love Clark and yourself. Take care." Laura embraced the younger woman. Then she stepped back and vanished from view.

Lana shook her head. This was definitely some evening.

Nothing would ever be the same again. That was for sure….


	24. Arguments with Fathers

Chapter 25 [Kent Farm—5:30 AM Thursday]

Clark watched the reds and oranges streak the early morning sky. Sleep had eluded him. He'd given up on drifting off about 1 AM. Instead he did chores at a normal human pace. He fed and watered the animals. He swept and cleaned out the barn. When a surge and the following downturn happened, he took a break and waited for the cycle to run its course. After the normalcy had (somewhat) returned, he resumed his duties. After he finished, he stood in the Loft and gazed over the fields. _Wish you'd get the storms out of your system. _His hands ran through his hair. _If we can get through today and tomorrow, it should be fine. Hope Dr. Swann's right._

_REALLY, KAL-EL? IF YOU PERSIST IN DENYING YOUR TRUE SELF, THERE WILL BE NO RELIEF!_

Clark rolled his eyes. "I'm really not in the mood for this." While he understood his heritage's importance, he wasn't prepared to give up on one side or the other to play favorites so to speak.

_IT IS NOT A MATTER OF 'MOOD'. THE EARTHLY UPBRINGING DISTRACTS YOU WITH EMOTION. RATHER THAN DROWN IN THOSE HUMAN FAILINGS, RISE TO YOUR SCIENTIFIC CAPABILITIES. YOU HAVE COMPENSATED FOR YOUR SITUATION. WELL DONE_, Jor-El complimented albeit in a backhanded manner.

Clark stiffened. "Thanks…I think."

_IN DOING SO, YOU ACT LIKE A KRYPTONIAN, _Jor-El continued.

"And using Earth reasoning. Thank you very much," Clark jabbed.

_THERE IS LITTLE RATIONAL IN EARTHLY THOUGHT, MY SON. AS THE SWANN SCIENTIST ADVISED, YOU MUST TAKE GREATER CARE IN YOUR ENDEAVORS. IF YOU WOULD START YOUR EDUCATION, YOU WOULD DISCOVER THIS FOR YOURSELF._

"I have my education," Clark countered

_THE SO-CALLED HUMAN SCHOOL IS BUT A CHILD'S STUDY FOR US, KAL-EL. COME TO ME. EMBRACE WHO AND WHAT YOU TRULY ARE, _Jor-El admonished.

"I'm Clark Kent. Dr. Swann calls me Kal-El too. I know who I am," Clark declared.

_DO YOU REALLY, KAL-EL? THAT IS YOUR TRUE NAME NOT THIS MASK YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN. YOU COMMUNICATE LIKE A PRIMITIVE, ACT LIKE ONE AND SHUT YOURSELF OFF TO THE TRUTH? IS THAT WHAT YOU'D CALL RATIONAL THOUGHT? CONSIDER THAT…. _Jor-El cut the discussion off with that.

Clark shook his head. _Like I need that on top of everything else? _He sighed and turned toward the couch. He sunk into the cushions. _Can't he just leave me alone? _He ground his teeth. He shuddered from a yet another solar powered surge. He sucked in a composing breath and looked up to find Jonathan watching him. "Hey, Dad. Sleep okay?"

"It was a good night for your Mom and me, Son. Heard you tossing and turning though." Jonathan inspected Clark's pale complexion. He could see the results of the handiwork around himself. "Thanks for doing the chores last night. Wish you could've slept more though."

"Wish I could. I just hope everything returns to normal by Saturday morning." Clark got up and walked back toward the window. "That's why I did the chores as carefully as I could. I didn't want to take the barn down or do worse."

Jonathan nodded. Clark's words made him feel better about the situation. He recalled the messes related to the heat vision and the red meteors over the previous year. Still his fuse burned over the previous day's events. He didn't like Sam and Lana knowing about the Secret. He really didn't appreciate Swann filling Clark's head about Krypton as if Jor-El wasn't bad enough in his own right. "It looks great, Son. It's great you're adjusting to this situation and making it work for the best. We can hope that it'll all be over by Saturday morning."

"You and me both, Dad. The ups and downs really stink, you know? One minute my abilities are going into overdrive. The next, I can't even get a spark to light a fire." Clark shook his head. "I guess we should feel lucky that Sam ran into me rather than one of Edge's goons or Lionel Luthor."

"Yes. At least she's willing to keep your secret so far. Obviously Samantha gets it and she can ask Pete for advice. Still, Clark, how do we know she won't slip back in Wichita? We only have known her for a day," Jonathan pointed out.

Clark rolled his eyes. _Here we go. _"Dad, she helped us. How many other people would've pulled me off the street, make sure I was okay, got me to Judge Ross and then brought me _back here_? She gets it because she has to deal with her own abilities."

"And how do we know Lex doesn't have her in his pocket? Maybe she could be behind a trap in Wichita this weekend. They know each other," Jonathan accused.

Clark shook his head. "Dad, Sam wants to be part of the group. If she wanted to trap me, she'd be pushing Pete and Lana away. She isn't. Her father leaves on business a lot. She's a loner. All she wants is to have a day going to that orchard and maybe some pizza. That's it."

"Just keep your eyes open with her. Same for Dr. Swann. We don't know what his agenda is either. He could be in with the Luthors or worse want to use you for his own ends. How well do you really know him?" Jonathan pressed.

"Dad, Dr. Swann didn't have to reach out to me last Spring! He didn't have to call last night! He did both because he wants me to understand about everything. I'm trying to deal with the whole picture. You aren't helping. Neither is Jor-El. I…." Clark started. Hearing himself talk about his birth father, he shut it down.

"Wait." Jonathan put his hand up. "Jor-El's been talking to you again?" He remembered his own desperate deal to bring Clark back from Metropolis. "How long has this been going on?"

"Just now, Dad. That's it. I told him what I've told you. I have to be balanced on both Earth and Krypton. I am of both worlds. That's all that Dr. Swann wants too is for me to look at both equally," Clark clarified.

"I knew you're going to New York was a bad idea," Jonathan griped. "Clark, there is no balance. You're _here_ now. You grew up on this farm. You're on Earth. Krypton is _gone_. Jor-El and his culture are gone blown to pieces by some catastrophe. Ever since you found the caves and Kyla filled your head with that folklore, you've been obsessed!"

"Yeah I'm obsessed! I want to know who I am! Dad, I love Mom and you. I get that I'm here. But it's not wrong to know who I am!" Clark resisted the temptation to super speed away lest he end up in New England or worse.

"You're Clark Kent! That's all you should care about! Jor-El doesn't matter!" Jonathan barked not giving an inch.

Clark shrugged. "I just want my life, Dad. Bad enough I can't go to school or into town. I don't want to deal with this. I can't even get ahead on things." He frowned. "Maybe Mom needs something in the house. I can be useful there." He walked down the stairs.

"Clark!" Jonathan yelled.

Uncharacteristically Clark didn't stop. His frustration threatened to boil over. Bad enough he had to deal with the solar surges. He didn't want to do anything that either he or his parents would regret. He kept walking toward the house without another word.

Jonathan rushed to the barn door. He watched Clark reach the house and walk inside. _Son, what are you doing?_


	25. Reactions

Chapter 26

[Smallville High—An Hour Later]

Lana sifted through her locker. Much as with Clark, she hadn't slept. Her head continued to spin over the Secret and family history. _We're so interconnected. His father and my Great Aunt were involved? Seriously? Wow. _She grabbed for a couple of books and her notebook. _I don't know how I'm going to keep my mind on school today. Thankfully I don't have a shift at the Talon today._

"Hey, Lana! How's it going?" Pete called from about twenty feet away. He glanced around to make sure the coast was clear. Much as with her, he was dealing with the previous evening's revelations as well. He wanted to talk to Sam about her abilities. He also mulled over Clark's issues and the solar flares.

"Just dealing with everything. You?" She shut her locker door. "Did you sleep at all?"

"Yeah. I eventually shut my eyes. You?" he replied.

"Not much." She frowned. "Too much to think about." She glanced around. "First the deal with Clark and Sam. Then what Dr. Swann said. But it didn't end there."

"It…didn't?" He stared at her. "What else?"

"Clark's family and mine are more connected than we thought. Wow," she informed him. "I'll tell you more when I get it all figured out." She picked up her knapsack. "Come on. We have to get to home room."

He nodded. _Now what? _With that, he followed her into the classroom to their right.

[Kent Farm]

Sam grimaced and turned to face the east window. Despite everything that had happened on the previous day, she'd slept relatively well. Clark, they hoped, would be back to normal with his abilities by the weekend. Pete accepted her own gifts during their discussion. Lana's attitude was turning around although she hoped (again for Clark's sake) that it would be a permanent adjustment. Jonathan and Martha treated her well. She definitely appreciated the mattress over its hotel counterpart. _Hopefully we can dice more apples and do some preserves today before the concert. _She glanced toward her violin in the corner. _I hope they like my stuff. _She rose and smoothed her sweats. Then she trudged toward the bathroom for a quick splash of water on her face. _Maybe Clark might like to take a walk or something? I'm sure Pete and Lana would understand. _She quirked her eyebrow at that notion. _Friends don't mind but are we four just friends? _She brushed her teeth and combed her hair. "I can shower later. Right now, maybe they'd like some help?" She headed down the stairs to find Martha and Jonathan sitting at the table somberly. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Kent. How are you?"

Martha perked up. Despite the seeming seriousness of their conversation, she forced a smile onto her face. "Good morning, Sam! Did you sleep well?"

"I did. Thank you so much for your hospitality!" Sam noted Jonathan's stiffness and stifling quiet. "I was wondering if there were any chores you needed or help around here?"

"Thank you, Sam, for the thought," Jonathan expressed. "Clark did them all. We appreciate it."

"I was going to go and get some fruit later to replace what we lost yesterday. Maybe you'd like to take a ride?" Martha invited.

"That's great! If we can get some stuff done today, I'll be able to get ready for tonight. I can't wait!" Sam accepted.

Martha shook Jonathan's latest objection off. Frankly she hoped that the practice concert would soothe nerves and tension all the way around. "What time are we expected at Lex's?"

"He said 7. I hope that's not too early," Sam clarified.

"No. That'll be fine. Maybe you can help me? I can show you how to squeeze oranges if you want some fresh juice?" Martha offered. "I'll make some pancakes for breakfast."

"Sorry if I came down late. I overslept," Sam apologized.

"You're a guest," Jonathan assured her. "Besides you're offering to help. And you're keeping Clark's Secret. That means a lot to us."

"It's no trouble. Pete and I can talk to each other…when the coast is clear that is," Sam noted. She took a couple of oranges out of the fridge. With the large cutting knife, she halved them. "Okay. Let's see how this works."

Martha smiled at Jonathan before turning to their guest. At least where Sam was concerned, everything would be okay….


	26. Learning to Conceal

Chapter 27 [Talon—After School]

Lana parked her blazer in her usual spot. She sighed to herself. On the one hand, she craved a cappuccino. Then she'd promised Clark a treat. On the other hand, Paranoia ate at her. She felt as if she were standing on eggshells. She didn't know if a word or gesture would alert someone to Clark directly or indirectly. _Just get the coffee and keep things to a minimum. Wonder what Sam likes? _She took out her phone and started texting, _"Hi, Clark. Hope you're doing better. I'm at the Talon. Can you ask Sam and your Mom if they'd like something? Thanks!" _Then she headed into the café.

Customers filled about a third of the place. Some studied. Others gabbed and gossiped. Miranda and two other waitresses burned through the remains of a line and refilled empty mugs on the floor.

_Business is good at least. Let's hope Mrs. Kent has more fruit. I can't wait to pitch in! _She made a beeline for the counter. As she did so, her phone buzzed back at her. She read another text:

"_Hi Lana. Thanks. I'm okay. Mom's okay but she says thanks. Sam asked for a medium mocha. She really appreciates you thinking of her. I've been cutting fruit so they'll be some to prepare for the preserves when you get here. Thanks again! Clark"_

_At least everyone's in good spirits. Maybe we can have that fresh start. _She exhaled and took the last few steps toward the counter.

"Hey, Boss! Having a nice week off?" Miranda greeted.

Lana jerked herself out of her reverie. "Hmm? Oh sorry, Miri/ Yeah it's been great helping Mrs. Kent. Pete's friend, Sam, is really nice. Clark's getting over a flu bug. Hopefully he'll be okay for Saturday."

Miranda nodded. She noticed Lana's distraction and anxiety. "Pete and his friend seemed really tense in here yesterday. Did you hear anything out at the Kents?"

Lana grimaced. Her mind struggled to consider what to say. _How do Pete and Clark do this?_

"Lana?" Miranda tapped her arm.

Lana stiffened. After badgering Clark for making excuses, she found herself struggling to come up with one. She could almost feel her friend's eyes and everyone else's turning toward herself. "Sorry. Sam and I had a misunderstanding. I apologized. She's all right now. In fact, she just asked me to pick her up a mocha. Get me a large one of those, a large black coffee for Clark and a cappuccino for me to go please." She shook her head.

"Sure the fruit circuit isn't burning you out? You really seem out of sorts," Miranda assessed.

Lana shrugged. "I'll be okay. Just learning a lot."

"That's good." Miranda glanced at her longtime friend. From what she'd seen and overheard on the previous day and Lana's skittishness at the moment, she knew there was more going on than Lana was telling. Still it wouldn't do any good to press. "I'll get these drinks out. Be right back."

Lana saw that realization in her friend's face. _Great. She suspects something. How can I do this for Clark if I can't even put on a decent poker face?_

"Wow. That's a serious look. Bad day?" Lex supposed.

Lana composed herself. "Hey, Lex." She turned toward him. "No. I did have a rough start with Pete's friend, Samantha Cooper, yesterday. We're doing okay now but I want things to be better between us."

He nodded offering her a supportive smile in the process. "Respect and empathy are at the core of such efforts, Lana. They move mountains. Besides we'll all have a great time tonight at the mansion. I can't wait to hear Samantha play again." He pulled out a ten and handed it to Miranda. "That'll cover them. Hope Clark's okay. I haven't seen him lately."

"He's dealing with the flu. He's been kind of house bound lately. I was going to bring this by for him. Meantime we're hoping he'll be okay by the weekend," Lana lied.

He nodded. His instincts told him she was at best holding back and at worst lying. Still he didn't want to push it. "Hope the coffee helps. See you tonight?"

"Pete and I will be there. Are you picking Byron up or do you need me to do that?" Lana affirmed.

"I'll get Byron. You can bring our star performer. Thanks, Lana. That's a big help. Meantime I'll swing by the farm tomorrow," he expressed.

"I'm sure Clark will appreciate the visit, Lex. He's dealing with cabin fever," Lana replied. She made a mental note to alert the Kents to the visit.

"My pleasure. I'm sure your company does wonder for him in itself. See you later. Give him my best," he told her.

"You bet. See you then." Lana took the order in a to go tray. "Thanks, Miri! You're the best."

"No problem. Hope Clark's feeling better." Miranda watched Lana disappear through the front door. "Something's off today, Mr. Luthor."

He shrugged seeming to dismiss the notion at least on the surface. "Probably trying to learn to cook to Martha Kent's lofty standards. It would intimidate any of us. I'll take a coffee to go too." He glanced toward the door. _Now Lana's getting evasive? Clark, you're a bad influence. _He accepted the coffee from Miranda. "Thank you. Keep up the good work. Sally's closing tonight?"

"She'll be fine. I'll be at the mansion for 8. Thanks for doing this for Samantha," Miranda assured him.

"No problem. Look forward to seeing you there." He tipped his cup to her before heading out for the parking lot. He looked forward to the concert. Still he pondered what was going on at the Kent Farm besides just making preserves.

Hopefully answers would be forthcoming….


	27. Digesting Events

Chapter 28 [Kent Farm—About Ten Minutes Earlier]

Clark slowly pushed his knife's blade through a few more berries. He'd spent much of the morning sleeping off the previous night's manic chores. The ups and downs frankly wore on him. Still he wanted to be part of the preparations. Rather than do everything at super speed and risk another situation, he chose a more deliberate…_more human_…pace.

Somewhere Jor-El must have been rolling his eyes….

Berry juice stuck to his fingers. Occasional trips to the sink helped clean them.

Beside him, two bowls, one raspberries and one of strawberries, replaced the previous afternoon's lost production. They waited for the stewing in Martha's pots to come.

Martha looked up from the chicken casserole on the counter. "That's great, Clark. Thank you. Lana should be here in a couple of minutes. Maybe you can let Sam know?"

He washed the knife in the sink. Then he wiped the counter down with a wet paper towel. "Sure. She seemed to be enjoying the Loft." He glanced toward his sanctuary. "Wish I was more into that music though."

"Not everyone is, Clark, and that's okay." She shrugged. "Right now, she's glad just to have friends here. You appreciate what she's doing. That's all she can really ask for. She certainly has been a great friend for you, Clark."

"You can say that again," he agreed. "I'll be right back." He headed out the door and across the yard. Walking into the barn, an unexpected breeze cooled the sweat beading across his forehead. _At least she can use her abilities. _He shook his head burying the mini-whine in its tracks. _We all have to deal with the ups and downs. Just get through Saturday. _His ear picked up on the violin's smooth tones cascading down the stairs. He climbed toward their source. There he watched Sam dance in her own world. Her feet glided across the oak boards. Her eyes were closed imagining a Viennese opera house more than likely. Her bow whispered across the instrument's strings. He cleared his throat. "Sam?"

She stopped her waltz in mid-step and rhythm. Her eyes snapped open. "Clark?" She set the violin down in its case. "Is Lana here? I lost track of time again. Sorry." She sipped on some water.

"She's at the Talon but she'll be here soon. I wanted to hear what you're up to. Glad you're enjoying yourself," he informed her. "Sounds really cool."

"Thanks, Clark. That means a lot," she expressed. "I know Pete and you aren't really into this music. Still I appreciate that you support me doing it. I want to be supportive too." She shut the case and secured the clasps on its side. "I can do some cutting too."

"You did great this morning while I was sleeping, Sam. Don't worry," he assured her. "Lana, you and me can help Mom watch the pots. We get to cook everything down. I just wish I could just do it at super speed."

"We all have our times when we aren't at our best. Guess this is yours. We have a day and a half until you're back to normal? We get through it. Meantime just look at it this way. If you hadn't done your super speed run to Wichita, we never would've ran into each other," she pointed out.

"My Dad says everything happens for a reason," he agreed. "Lana's bringing drinks by for us too."

"Really? That's great. I'm dying for another of Miranda's mochas. Let's go and see how your Mom's doing." She picked up the violin and headed down the stairs.

He grinned at her outlook. Then he followed her down the stairs and out the barn door. He saw Lana's blazer heading down the driveway toward them.

Lana parked about ten feet away from them. Her head still spun to the point of distraction. She considered him standing in front of them. Granted Clark was still Clark. Still who he was…the connections between their families…the burden of the Secret…it all swamped her. _Being judgmental and lashing out is what started the mess yesterday. Is it Sam's or Clark's fault they're different? _She exhaled sharply before opening the door. Then she took the tray of Styrofoam cups out. "Hi, Guys! Today go better for everyone?"

Her question raised his mood. His eyes twinkled. He grinned at her. "We've managed. It's getting better by the minute though." He looked to Sam.

Sam coughed. "I imagine it is." She smirked at the others. "I think your Mom needs some help in the house." She took a couple of dollar bills from her pocket. "Will this cover it? I can get more from the ATM in town."

"It's okay, Sam. It's on Lex and me. Thanks." Lana handed Sam her mocha. She considered the violin case. "How did your practice go?"

"Really great. Thanks. I'm in sync for later." Sam toasted Lana with her cup. Then she headed into the house.

"Wonder what's up with her?" He scratched his head. Then he noticed the heaviness in Lana's eyes. "Hey. You all right? School was that harsh?" He accepted the coffee. "Thanks."

"School was all right. Just the usual surprise quiz in English. No big deal." She took a big gulp from her cappuccino. "Had a really weird night after I left." She rubbed the back of her neck.

"Weird night?" All sorts of things tripped through his head.

"Yeah." She motioned toward the barn. "Maybe we can go up to your Loft and talk?"

"Sure." He grimaced. _Now what? _As he led them on, he worried. _She's going to freak out. She's going to say she doesn't want anything to do with me! _He motioned toward the old couch. "It isn't easy for any of us, Lana."

She slumped onto the couch. "Oh I definitely get that, Clark. It's a really big deal. Here I thought you just had some personal issues. Still I'm not talking about your abilities or that you're from the planet Krypton, Clark. It's how I found out about who you really are." She looked pointedly at him.

He stiffened. "How did you find out about that? Dr. Swann doesn't know that much."

She rolled her eyes. "When I got back to Chloe's, I had trouble sleeping. I was drinking some tea. Then somebody showed up. This really takes the cake, Clark. It's not like you have someone coming back from the dead to tell you things."

_She should know about Jor-El. _He decided not to inform her of that point. "Who was it, Lana? What happened?"

"My Mom showed up." She gulped from her drink. "This is really giving me a headache."

"Your Mom? Lana, she's been gone for years." He sucked in a deep breath.

"She said she sent back to fill me in on you. I can't believe our families are connected." She sighed. "To think your birth father, Joe, and my great aunt were into each other."

He gaped. "Lana, I know Nell cared about Dad but…."

She shook her head. "I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about your birth father…Joe?...and my Great Aunt Louise MacCallum. That was back in 1961. You don't know a lot about that stuff either obviously."

He put his hand up. "You know about him?" He scratched his head. "I can't believe he was here in Smallville."

"So that is his name. Clark, you know about him?" She studied his reaction. She'd come to know when Clark was dealing with something she'd just found out.

Clark bowed his head. He felt cornered by now. Questions burned in his mind. He couldn't refute that situation. He'd promised not to lie again…even if it tempted him to do so. A croaked admission escaped his lips. "His name was Jor-El. His ghost is also around here. He showed up last spring." He ran his hands through his hair. His eyes surveyed the fields from the upper door. He locked onto the newly rebuilt storm cellar.

"Clark? What is it?" She set her cup down on the table. She made her way slowly across the wooden floor. Anxiety buffeted her about this way and that. She recalled the previous Spring's explosion. She'd found him muttering in shock at ground zero….

…muttering about a Voice….

He said nothing. Frankly he didn't know what to say. Everything seemed to turn on its ear.

"That Voice…was it Joe or Jor-El?" she pressed.

He gulped deeply from his own java. His throat burned more from the Truth than the brew flowing down it. "Yes."

She clenched her jaw. Instinct wanted to push the questions. "Why, Clark?"

He sighed. "Why what?"

"Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you just tell your parents or me? Is that why you ran away to Metropolis?" she pressed.

"It was. He threatened you all. I tried to get rid of him. That's why I blew up the Ship. Obviously it didn't work," he declared.

"And you thought that leaving would make it all go away?" She folded her arms across her chest. "Clark, I can't believe you!"

"I wasn't thinking straight, Lana. I know I hurt you. I know now that it was the wrong thing to do. I…I just couldn't stay. He threatened to eliminate Mom, Dad and you. He wants Kal not me around. He wants that emotionless Kryptonian. I couldn't let him touch you," he admitted.

"So you thought it was best to run away? Clark, maybe he and my Aunt Louise couldn't be together. Still why couldn't I have talked with him? Maybe I could've reasoned with him," she supposed. Her eyes seized onto his and wouldn't let them slip into yet another evasion.

"Lana, Jor-El won't back down. He really would kill you to get what he wants." He shuddered. An icy chill stabbed at his heart. "I…I couldn't bear that."

She wanted to badger him further. Still she understood the demands between individual desire and societal pressures. "So you tried to draw him away from us?"

"Not…entirely." He sucked in a deep breath. He stuck his hands in his pockets. "I wish it was that and nothing else. Dad said it and it drove me away." His eyes watered. "I…I couldn't deal with it." He trembled.

She stared at him. She'd only seen him get sick once in their friendship. Otherwise there'd been hardly a flinch in him. "Dad? You mean Mr. Kent or Joe?"

"Dad here. He and Mom raised me, Lana. That's why I call him that," he affirmed. "He laid the whole blame thing on me." He shook his head. "He said the same thing you just did."

"What? That you should have talked to us before setting off a bomb in a dead panic? I agree with him. Clark, I know you're used to acting on your own and under the radar. Still that's one time you should have let us know. We're willing to sacrifice for you! All right? And the fact you did what you did, that brought those guys here." She rubbed her forehead. "You really need to think of consequences. What you can do is great. It doesn't mean you can keep thumbing your nose at those outcomes. You can be hurt. Vann almost killed you. Please think about that! Promise me you'll do that. Promise that if something comes up involving us that you'll talk to us before going off on your own like that again."

He ground his teeth. He knew she was right. Still, much as he had with his parents since his return, he had to face her at that point. "I…promise. Just don't hate me."

"I don't hate you, Clark. Still a relationship built on lies and lack of trust can't survive," she told him. "Thank you for making that promise. I know you're trying." She squeezed his hand in hers. "Like I said before, we both need time. Think you can be patient for me? I need to wrap my head around all of this."

"I can be. Thanks, Lana, for not running away," he expressed.

"I'm not going anywhere, Clark. You need people who believe in you and support you. When you're ready, we'll make our stand. For now though, you need to stay calm and not have another spike in your abilities. Let's focus on apples, fruit and our trip to Wichita," she affirmed. Granted it would have been easier to simply walk away. Still she realized that he had acted out of fear and the need to protect everyone from his father's ghost. She recalled she'd pushed him to include her in his world.

Consequently she owed him a chance to do so. "But you're going to start trusting me."

"Lana…." He bit his lip just as another low sagged through him. He tasted a little blood. "Great…"

She handed him a tissue. "Here. It's okay. Just take it easy."

"Thanks." He blotted the wound. As the weak feeling subsided, his body's healing factor kicked back into action. "That's better." He threw the bloodied paper into a nearby waste basket.

"Really?" She inspected the previously wounded lip. "Unreal. So that's how you survived Vann's bullet?"

"I needed some help from Mom and Dad. But yeah, I heal really fast too. That's another of my secrets," he admitted.

"Another of them. Can't wait to see what else you have up that plaid sleeve of yours, Clark." She smirked at him. "Come on. We've got some fruit to get through before Sam's concert later."

He followed her down the stairs and back toward the house. With each step, guarded relief lightened his heart ever so slightly. Her affirmation to stand by him balanced her demands for him to move forward. Still he hoped she would be able to remain on course. Still, much as she gave him room to try and be honest, he owed her the same favor.

Interesting times all around…..


	28. Back in the House

Chapter 29

Martha sipped anxiously on her coffee. She had the fruit waiting for the pot. She knew Sam would need to shower and change within the next hour or so. _What are they talking about? _Her eyes kept moving toward the barn.

Sam talked with Pete on her phone. Every question or sought-after insight on Lana's outlook further furrowed her brow. Finally she concluded, "Thanks, Pete. We'll see what's up with her. See you at the mansion." She hung up and took a deep moody gulp from her mocha.

"Did Pete mention anything?" Martha wondered.

Sam nodded. "Lana was _really _out of sorts at school apparently. What that Swann guy told us is pretty overwhelming."

"For all of us," the elder woman noted. "Mr. Kent and I first heard about the details last Spring when Clark went to see him. Clark had so much to take in. I just hope that Lana's not stirring that up again." She saw Clark and Lana walking slowly toward the house. _Now what?_

"Looks serious," Sam observed.

"And here I hoped to keep the mood light." Martha took another draught from her mug. "I don't want this to ruin your concert or Saturday."

"It won't do that, Mrs; Kent," Sam assured her. "I'm used to stuff happening. Hope everything's okay."

Clark looked at his mother and friend. He glanced back at Lana and then at them again. "We needed to talk." He added a shrug. "Sorry. I don't want to hold Sam up."

"It's okay, Clark. I just need twenty minutes to get ready. Mr. Luthor will have dinner ready at the mansion."

"Lana, is everything all right?" Martha noted her pale facial coloring. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Lana glanced at him. Then she settled into a chair. "I did, Mrs. Kent. My Mom showed up at Chloe's last night." She shook her head.

"Your mother. Lana…." Martha started to doubt.

"I know she's dead, Mrs. Kent. Still she came back to fill me in about Clark, his father and their connections to Smallville and Krypton. I guess Joe…Jor-El….was here in Smallville years ago," Lana replied with a sharp edge in her voice.

Martha stiffened. "How do you know about Jor-El? Clark?"

"I didn't tell her anything…well nothing she didn't already know," he replied half-honestly. He wasn't about to go into how he shared the details from the previous spring and the storm cellar however.

Lana frowned. She rubbed her forehead. "Sorry, Mrs. Kent. As I said, my Mom explained that Joe send Clark here. And we thought what we heard last night was a big deal. Wow."

"Yeah I can imagine if my mother came back. I don't know how I'd take that," Sam admitted. "Was there anything on Clark's situation?"

"She didn't say anything about that. Let's hope it's over by Saturday," Lana told them.

"Let's hope," Martha agreed. "Meantime let's get these pots going." She mixed strawberries, sugar and a few cups of water in the first pot. Blueberries, sugar and water went into the second pot. Then she turned on the respective coils. "Clark, you can watch these after we leave. I don't want these overcooking."

"Sounds good," he agreed. "Do I stir them?"

"About every fifteen minutes or so. I want these to cook down. You remember what they're supposed to look like at that point?" Martha directed.

"As long as he doesn't burn them," Lana teased.

"I have helped with this before. I think I know what I'm doing," he replied albeit defensively.

"Relax, Clark. It's okay," Lana assured him. She took the wooden spoons and gave the respective mixtures a few stirs apiece before putting the lids back on each one. She savored each one's aroma. "This is going to be great!"

"Let's see what we find on Saturday," Sam interjected. "Wish I could be here to see the final result."

"I think we can arrange for some to show up in Wichita," Martha assured her with a warm smile.

"I'd really appreciate that, Mrs. Kent. I just try to pitch in, help out and be a good friend," Samew expressed.

"You've been a lifesaver, Sam. Thanks," he told her.

"And you're giving back here," Lana added. "Between Clark and you,, I'm learning that it's the person not the abilities which make them good or evil. Thanks."

"All part of being a good friend, I guess," Sam declared. "And we get to learn about your Mom and her gift to us here."

Lana smiled. Appreciation sparkled in her eyes. "Right. This part of her will never leave. Besides I get to share that with great people." She squeezed his hand for emphasis.

He returned the gesture with one of his own. His concern and questions over Laura's insights to Lana burned still in his mind. The solar ups and downs still kept him on guard. Yet in that heartbeat, he had everything.

And everything seemed lighter at that moment….


	29. Hint of the Weekend

Chapter 30 [Loft—Next Morning]

Clark sat on the old couch. Unable to sleep yet again, he'd kept up with his assignments. He determined not to give Reynolds any excuse to bash him for lack of effort. He'd finished his Math and Science assignments in good order. (The latter in fact dealt with the whole solar issue and theorized about the storms' potential effects on communications and even people.) He'd rolled his eyes over that but not as much as he did over _The Great Gatsby. _He sipped on a lukewarm coffee and tried to get into the story.

Sam apparently had rendered a masterpiece on the previous evening. Granted she couldn't play anything from the weekend's concert at the mansion. Still Grace moved her bow across the violin's strings.

From Lana's texts and Martha's praise, he regretted not being able to attend. _ Glad that the others could enjoy it. Maybe I can get an encore when the Sun and my abilities aren't messing up._ He shrugged the thought off. At the moment, his mind muddled through the Long Island landscape in the 1920s. He fought off another solar down cycle. He felt for Gatsby and the need to maintain a status quo. Still it seemed so complicated. _At some point, I'll get it. Right? How do Lana and Chloe get through this?_

"Brushing up on appearances, Clark?"

Clark stiffened. He couldn't believe he hadn't heard the footsteps on the stairs. He set the book down. "Hey, Lex. Sorry I missed last night."

The Billionaire nodded. "Samantha put on quite the show. She and the others said you were sick. Hope it isn't too serious."

"Yeah I'm been out of school since Tuesday. Nasty cold," Clark lied with his best poker face. He faked a deep cough. "Besides I could get off of Mom's couch and watch the preserves on the stove."

Lex nodded. With most people, Clark's explanations would've covered the bases. Still he could tell when his young friend was holding something back. His eyes moved toward the book. "Gatsby tried to create his own reality. You trying to keep your light around the house instead of across the bay?"

"Huh?" Clark picked up on the reference to the book even if he didn't exactly get the gist.

Lex coughed. The Smirk spread almost triumphantly across his face. "The light in the book, Clark. Gatsby looks at it and toward Daisy. Kind of like a certain farm boy I know."

"I'm not looking across Crater Lake, Lex," Clark retorted. He rolled his eyes. Annoyance accented his tone.

"Whatever you say, Clark." Lex walked over to the upper door. He gazed out across the prairie. As he did, he patted the telescope. "At least this makes that light come in clearer. Doesn't it?"

"We're talking now instead of moving around each other. That's got to count for something," Clark replied. "I hope Lana, Pete, Sam and I get our day in Wichita tomorrow. Lana wants to go. Sam's counting on our support."

"They told me the same thing. Tell you what, Gatsby. Better get ready to dress up for Saturday night," Lex informed him.

"Lex, we can't afford the tickets. Even if we could, the place is sold out," Clark pointed out.

"True but I'm a donor. I made a call and some seats opened up. I'm bringing Byron. Since I got special tinting in the new Porsche's windows, he can get some culture. Besides it'll be extra special for Samantha to have her friends there. Right? Maybe Pete might get that I'm not such a beast after all," Lex sipped on his own cup of coffee allowing that thought to wash into Clark's mind. "Just be mindful of the book's ending, Atticus." He motioned toward _Gatsby. _"You can only keep yourself shut in for so long. Eventually the world butts in. Funny what a girl can do to make a guy reach out beyond the scenario. Isn't it? Don't be a hermit, Clark. It'll stunt your growth." He toasted his friend with the cup. "Hope you're feeling better. Looking forward to tomorrow." With that, he turned and left.

Clark mulled over the raised stakes for the next day's trip. While he figured that even with the solar ups and down, he could get through a day of human paced apple picking without mishaps with care. He knew his friends would have his back. Besides being with Lana and their friends would help him to relax. Lex's presence and being at the symphony raised questions in his mind. _What happens if I flare up again? Will the solar stuff be over by then?_

Admittedly Worry ate at him…..

[2 PM]

Sam brushed her hand across the kitchen table's smooth surface. Despite the visit's beginning (and reason for being for that matter), she'd enjoyed the experience. She'd made new friends. She treasured the interactions with Smallville proper. The Talon, in her mind, lived up to Pete's descriptions of it. Her music had found appreciative minds. Pete and she'd made inroads in certain regards.

"Can't believe it's Friday already," Clark supposed. He watched the coffee perking. "I wanted to make sure you had some for the road."

"It's been quite the week. Can't say I've had a break like this one before," she agreed with a bit of wonder in her voice. She cooled herself with a bit of breeze pushed through the room. "Time did fly while we were dealing with things. Your folks definitely have a great place." She admired the dining and living rooms once again.

"It's that all right," he agreed. "Wish your Dad was around more often for you."

"It's what it is," she deflected. The fact that her father had never called to check on her did bother her. Still she wasn't about to share that with Clark. "And this isn't good bye or anything like that. You've got some great pizza and music tomorrow."

"Can't wait." He grinned at her while pouring her a cup of coffee. "I'll get to hear you play. Let's hope this stuff is behind me by then."

"I have faith that you can control your abilities if necessary by then," she assured him. She fixed the coffee with milk and sugar. "This is what makes it all worthwhile, Clark. Just take it slow until the solar storms subside. Meanwhile treasure what Lana and you are working on."

"What we're trying to work on, you mean." Shyness streaked his cheeks with crimson tones.

":It seems like something's there. Just saying." She embraced him. "Thanks for running into me. Next time though, don't bowl me over. Okay?"

"I'll try." He grinned at her. "Thanks for keeping the Secret and for being such a great friend to Pete."

"My pleasure." She sampled the coffee. "You really brew up a mean cup of coffee, Clark. Lana certainly does inspire. If you ever move to the big city, you have a future as a barista. Keep that in mind."

"I think I'm here for a while," he declined.

"Just keep it in mind. A girl can hope for her friends. Right?" She shrugged.

"Remember we're here. Besides I could always run in to meet Pete and you for dinner," he offered.

"Maybe. Maybe you might sweep Lana off of her feet all the way to Wichita?" she teased.

"I think we'll drive for now. Maybe some day. Tomorrow though will be great. Mind if I get your duffel?" He picked up her bag with care.

"Thanks, Clark." She led him toward the waiting car. "I appreciate you being so open. I know how it is to be like we are."

"It's good to know we're not alone." He put the bag on her passenger seat. "That okay?"

"It's perfect." She smiled at him. "Be confident. You'll get through this. We'll have a blast tomorrow. Pete and Lana know where to go. Until then." She got into the car and started up the motor. She drove off down the dirt driveway. About a hundred feet into the journey, she honked her horn. Then she pressed on down its expanse. At the state road, she turned left and headed east toward her home.

He scratched his head. Despite the previous few days' challenges, the world seemed bigger and more secure for some reason. Lex's insights about Gatsby rang in his ears. Sam's support lifted his spirits. Lana's increasing acceptance of his heritage and nature warmed his heart. Even if the previous summer had shown him that the world was bigger than Smallville, he now realized that a few allies waited for him beyond the farm's borders. If he supported them, they'd have his back as well.

He nodded. The next day would be a good one. That would be a guarantee…..


	30. Turning Point

Chapter 31 [Next Morning—About 4:30 AM]

The rest of the previous day dragged inexorably by for Clark. Pete left for Wichita and his mother's weekend right after school. Lana had an emergency shift at the Talon to cover one of the waitresses' call in. He did a few chores and talked with his parents about things. The solar storms' effect tired him out; their surges and lulls really wore on him though. He worried that he might not be able to go.

The early morning brought its own realities however. Clark blinked back his sleepers. For the first time in a week, he'd slept normally. His skin didn't dimple from the static charges. His last surge and lull cycle had hit at 10 PM the previous evening. He sucked in an anxious breath. He swiped his hand through the air at super speed.

Much to his relief, no adverse reaction happened….

_That's a good sign. _He decided to take a chance. He streaked back and forth between his bed and closet. He dressed rapidly at the same rate.

Still no surges.

_Wow! Maybe I'm cured? _He heard the cell phone buzzing at him. _Now what? Dr. Swann? _He accessed the text message on it. It took him a few heartbeats to transliterate the Kryptonian pictographs. He read to himself, "_Kal-El, solar storms have ended. You should be back to normal soon. Take care until we know for sure. VS." _He rolled his eyes. "Leave it to Dr. Swann to text message in Kryptonian." He crept quietly down the stairs and out to the barn. Now past the crisis, he could do the chores at his regular pace again. He cleaned the animals' stalls and put down fresh hay. He fed and watered them. He swept the barn floor with the old broom.

Once again he passed the tests without residual solar effects of any kind.

"At last it's normal again," he assumed. Relief lightened his mood. He'd be able to go with his friends after all….

…that is after he dealt with the rest of the academic backlog….

[Forty Five Minutes Later]

Clark set _Gatsby _down on the end table next to the couch. Thanks to two super-fast reads, he kind of understood the book's gist. He shook his head at Lex's gibe from the previous day. His boots clomped across the oak floor boards toward the upper doorway.

Outside, Dawn streaked the sky with her reds, oranges and magentas.

"A new day," he told himself. "It's going to be a good one." He heard footsteps coming up the stairs. "Now who?" He looked over to find Jonathan observing him in turn. "Hey Dad. Good morning."

"You're looking good so far, Clark. Everything looks good out here. You're back to normal?" Jonathan noted. He looked the younger man over for any residual sign of the solar storms' effect. He didn't want any accidents in Wichita especially in Lex's presence.

"Doesn't seem like it. I'm watching things. Dr. Swann said that the Sun's back to normal. Guess that means for us too?" Clark supposed. "I'm caught up at school too."

Jonathan nodded. A smile cracked across his face. "I've got to hand it to you, Clark. You're handling this well. I know it hasn't been easy. Still you worked with us and rode the storm out. Getting your schoolwork done really shows commitment. Good job." He patted his son's shoulder.

"I appreciate that, Dad. Thanks." Clark grinned. He knew such compliments weren't always easy for Jonathan especially given their earlier argument a few days earlier. "We still need to be careful though."

"You're absolutely right, Clark," Jonathan concurred. He nodded in affirmation. "If there are any problems, call your Mom and me. Judge Ross is there too just in case."

"In an emergency. Sorry but if she doesn't need to know, why tell her?" Clark reminded him.

"True. Still this one we don't have to deal with by ourselves. Be careful but have fun. Bring some good fruit back for your mother. Even if Lex paid for the tickets, be really supportive of Samantha. Okay?" Jonathan told him.

"Only the best in both ways." Clark glanced toward the house. "Sorry but I need to get ready. Lana's going to be here about 6:30. We wanted to get an early start."

"Sounds great. I know Pete will be glad you both are there for the day. So will Samantha. Thanks again for taking care of everything first, Son," Jonathan expressed.

Clark headed toward the house. As he did, the return of normalcy and his father's compliments lifted his spirits. Now he wanted a great day with Lana and the others.

Perhaps it could happen for a change…..


	31. Depart for Wichita

Chapter 32 [6:28 AM]

[A/N: Short chapter here. Sorry…More coming though!]

Lana turned her blazer into the Kents' driveway. NASA's website had declared that the solar storms were indeed over. She saw the Sun climbing over the eastern horizon toward the day's journey through the robin egg blue backdrop. The autumnal chill dimpled her skin. _Let's hope Clark has his powers back under control now. I just want to have a nice day. _She sighed while parking in front of the house.

Wichita beckoned with its apples, pizza and concert. Still she'd enjoy them more with the Plaid Center of her Universe by her side. The big city had plenty for them to bond over.

Hope surged through her. Now that Clark and she could be open and above board on things, she really wanted to make the next step permanent. _He knows that he's not alone. He doesn't have to run away again. Clark, I'm here. Who would've guessed you had so much going on under that plaid? _She chuckled to herself. Then she stepped out of the vehicle and toward the house.

Before she could reach the door, Clark opened it. "Hey, Lana! Good morning!"

"Hi yourself, Clark." She grinned. "You seem excited this morning. How are you doing?"

"Tried some stuff this morning. Between that and Dr. Swann's text message, I know I'm good. Granted we still need to be careful but it's okay. I was able to do the chores and everything around here normally… well for me at least. Mom was just perking some coffee. Want some?" Clark offered. His eyes gazed deeply into hers. Admittedly his heart skipped a beat.

"Just a minute. I just need to get my mug…that is if you can stop staring," she teased with a twinkle in her eye.

He sighed. "Sorry. I'm already having a great time. This is going to be great!" He rushed back into the house leaving the door ajar behind himself.

She coughed. A smirk worthy of Lex spread across her face. "You wanted him to open up. Face it, Lana. You've created a monster." She blushed. "Enjoy it," she told herself. She grabbed her mug and headed toward the waiting java pot inside.

Martha looked up from the sink. "Good morning, Lana! Ready for the drive?"

"Hi, Mrs. Kent. I'm definitely looking forward to this! It's going to be a great day. I know it. The weather's nice. We have a lot of good things going on. I have great company." Lana rubbed his shoulder.

"And no solar issues," he added.

"That we know of. Just be careful," Martha advised. "I wish I could be going to the symphony with you two. It should be great. Just have fun and don't worry about things here."

"I'll call from my room tonight," he promised. He picked up the coffee carafe. "Ready?"

"Fill it up, Mr. Kent," Lana requested. She took the lid off of her cup and held it out.

He filled it to about three quarters full. "That'll let you fix it the way you like, Lana." He attended to his own travel mug before setting the still partially full carafe back on the coffee maker. "Anything else that you can think about, Mom?"

"You have the list?" Martha reminded him.

He pulled a folded up piece of paper from his pocket. "Right here. If we see anything else, I'll call."

"Sounds great," Martha agreed. "Just take care but have fun. Okay? Can't wait to hear how the concert goes tonight."

"It's going to be great!" Lana sampled her coffee. "Mmm! Thanks!"

"Saves us a stop in town." He picked up his duffel bag. "Have a great day, Mom. See you tonight."

"Thanks again, Mrs. Kent!" Lana expressed. She led him out toward the waiting blazer. In short order, she started them down the driveway and into their odyssey.

Martha sucked in a hopeful breath. _Please don't let there be any problems! _She sighed and headed into the house.

So much anticipation and a bit of dread it seemed in the air…..


	32. Insights over Coffee

Chapter 33 [An Hour Later]

The trip provided some interesting sights for the two teens. In between stretches of farmland and prairie, a few towns intermittently popped up. Some trees turned shades of yellow. The few transplanted maples had subdued reddish and orange tones. Ducks and geese could be heard honking high overhead.

Some sparse small talk over the first few minutes spread into in-depth conversation.

[George's Coffee—Pratt, KS]

Lana leaned back against the seat. She'd enjoyed the unguarded (or maybe semi-guarded) conversation between them. She brushed off a few crumbs off of his seat. _You'd think I'd have this all vacced. Really? Hope his jeans aren't too messed up! _She glanced to where their garment bags lay on top of the duffels in the back seat. _Can't believe this apple picking's going to turn into a formal gala. It is our first official date. _She rolled her eyes.

Clark came out of the coffee shop with the two cups in hand. He noticed her concern. Instantly his mind went into panic mode. _Now what did I do? Is everything okay? _He sighed deeply. _Just work on making things better for Lana. _He composed himself. _Be positive. Pick her mood up! _He came over to the vehicle.

She lowered her window. "Pretty speedy there, Clark. Thanks!" She offered a smile for his benefit. She accepted the cup.

"Not very busy in there. Wonder why?" He opened the door and eased himself into his seat. "Hope I got that right."

She nodded. "It's perfect. Love the cinnamon in it. Nice touch!"

"Good. I wasn't sure. I remember you put cinnamon in your Christmas drinks last winter," he recalled. "At least I notice what you like. You know?"

"Clark, this may surprise you but I know that already. I really appreciate that you pay attention to those little things." She took a long thoughtful gulp. "Kind of like that picnic we were on last year before you ran off." She scratched her head. "Why did you do that?"

"I heard Jor-El's voice just like at the storm cellar. It's like I said, Lana. I wanted to deal with him before Mom, Dad or you got hurt. I didn't want things to happen like they did." He felt his mood sinking with each word.

"Maybe if you'd explain to him that we can be together now. Times are different," she supposed.

"I don't know if he'll get that. Lana, it doesn't matter. I want to be with you. I'm trying to learn how to do that and include you more," he declared.

"You're off to a good start, Clark. Don't try to do too much. I think that's when we end up taking a step backwards. I can say the same thing about myself too," she assured him. "I'm so wrapped up in the Talon, school, being with Chloe and her Dad not to mention trying to understand your issues. I'm glad that the last part of that is not a big deal anymore." She smirked. "It's kind of neat dating an alien guy."

"Thanks, Lana. Until freshman year, I didn't know either. That's when Dad showed me the Ship," he told her. "I freaked out. That's when you found me in the cemetery."

"So that's why you became Clark Kent, The Fort Knox of Secrets?" She nodded at how that made sense. "You retreat from the world to reflect on things. Kind of like Thoreau speaks of Walden Pond." Seeing his confusion, she clarified. "Henry Thoreau wrote poetry about retreating to the woods to ponder nature and life's hidden meanings. Walden Pond was his place. Kind of like your Loft or maybe the caves. Right?"

"Right. The symbols have a special significance. Sometimes I sit there and ponder them as well," he admitted.

That insight made her turn and look at him. "Wait! You can _read _them?"

"They're Kryptonian. Jor-El did something to me so that I could read them. Not exactly by choice but…." He sipped on his coffee.

"Wow. I'm impressed." She started the blazer and turned back onto the road. "I'll definitely keep that one to myself. Do your parents know you can read it?"

"They know. Dad doesn't really like the whole 'I'm from Krypton' thing. He thinks I'm here and I should deal with it," he griped. "Meantime Jor-El pushes from the other side with the 'You're Kryptonian not from Earth. Deal with that' angle." He shook his head. "Maybe it's because he lost your aunt? I don't know."

"It's not going to happen, Clark. We're not in some secret relationship. Your parents approve of me. Chloe will have to deal with it. Maybe we can talk to Joe? It's not like we have arranged marriages to get around," she insisted.

"There aren't any girls left from my planet anyway." He leaned back against the passenger seat's backrest. "I know you don't want to hear about Kyla but…"

"No, Clark. That's okay. I know you and she were close. Like Whitney with me, she was good to you. What about Kyla? Lex mentioned that she was one of the meteor mutants or something," she assured him.

"Kyla was descended in part from Kryptonians. That's where she got her shapeshifting abilities from," he clarified. "That's also part of the confidential stuff."

"I get that, Clark, but sure." She mulled over that revelation. She recalled the Cowache girl and her grandfather from the Talon. "So that's why you both were so interested in each other?"

"We met at the caves. Guess we shared some things. I could be open around her. Now I can be with you as well. That means a lot to me." He exhaled sharply. "I don't have to hide from you."

"You never had to. I understand why your Mom and Dad are so paranoid from seeing what happened to Byron and Ryan. Then there were the bullies from the Talon who tried to sue you," she added. "Wow."

"You get it now. This is why Pete's so on edge," he told her.

"I am too. It's overwhelming. I'm glad though I do know now." She rubbed his hand quickly. "Clark, I meant what I said. I'm here. I want to be with you. I don't care."

He smiled. His eyes watered. "That means a lot. I want you here too."

"Now I'll outpick you this afternoon," she jabbed.

"We'll see. Pete and Sam might outdo both of us since I can't just do the speed thing," he doubted.

"As you just said, we'll have to see. Let's just have fun and not make it a competition," she reminded him. "I'm still adjusting to Pete having someone who likes him."

"Lots of girls like him in Smallville. Sam isn't his usual type. Guess opposites attract?" he supposed.

"Guess so. I really like talking with her. She's really a neat person once you get past the whole shy deal. Wait until you hear her play her violin. That's something else," she assessed. "Pete really seems to care what she thinks. Not that he doesn't about anyone else. It's just that…."

"He really cares about her? Yeah I see that. They're both loners in Wichita. Let's just give them their moment. Kind of like us. We need our moment too. Right?" he replied.

"We have *lots* of moments coming, Clark. Don't worry about that," she insisted.

He nodded allowing himself a dreamy smile. _I can definitely deal with that. Let's just hope!_


	33. Apple Picking

Chapter 34 [Daisy's Farm—Derby, KS An Hour and Forty-Five Minutes Later]

Pete glanced at his watch. Despite the previously-made plans, he wished he could've slept in a little longer that morning. After school, he'd endured traffic jams in Dodge, Pratt and coming into Wichita itself. Then his mother dragged him to dinner with her cronies until 10 PM. He stretched and stifled a yawn.

"Long night huh?" Sam glanced at him. She bit into a cider donut.

"Didn't get right out after school, got backed up in traffic and then Mom had dinner. Got to do my part for everyone. Just being me," he replied.

"You went out of your way for your Mom. That's really nice, Pete," she noted.

He nodded. "I try to be that way. You were a big help this week, Sam. I appreciate you being so cool with Clark."

"It's my pleasure, Pete. Clark's a nice guy. He just needs support to cope with everything that's going on in his life. He and Lana really seem to have something," she declared.

"Yeah. Clark's been in love with Lana since we were all kids. Her Aunt Nell didn't think Clark was good enough for her. His parents are super sensitive about who he's with. Maybe they can be together now." He shrugged. "I'm glad Lana knows about his Secret. Now I have someone to talk with…other than you."

"Nice save," she teased. "I know what you meant. I'd say the same thing. I thought I had a big secret. That's nothing." She looked about to make sure nobody was within earshot. Then she saw Lana's blazer turning into the parking lot. "I think that's them now."

"It is them." He grinned. "They made awesome time in here. Come on." He led her over to where their friends were parked.

"Hi!" Lana greeted. She walked over to them. "It's a great morning! Clark and I had a great drive in here. That state road's kind of nice."

"It is when you're not backed up in traffic," Pete supposed. "Afternoons aren't as cool in certain places." He turned to Clark. "You're in a good mood. Any word on the sun stuff?"

"Everything's back to normal. Let's hope there are no hiccups," Clark assured them all.

"We all hoping," Sam agreed. "Well the orchard will be filling up shortly. Let's say we get in there and start picking away?"

"Can't wait. Mom's expecting a bumper crop," Clark informed them.

"Can't disappoint her. Can we?" Lana supposed.

"I'm not about to. She was so nice this past week," Sam chimed in. "Come on. Let's get to work." She guided the others toward a small shed just inside of the fence. There she found a lanky brunette teenager working behind a counter. "Hi. Can we have a couple of baskets to pick with?"

The clerk picked out two wicker baskets. She put them on the counter. "There you go. Glad to see you. By this afternoon, you'd be fighting for these between everyone wanting to be here. The apples are nice and juicy. Just had one a couple of minutes before we opened."

"That's what we want to hear." Clark looked around. "My parents were looking for other fruit too. Is there a place for them too?"

"We have cherries and berries for sale too." The clerk pointed to a brown building standing just before the orchard. "That's our main store. We just put those out last night. Lots of fresh stuff. Making pies?"

"Pies and preserves. Fresh fruit makes it great," Lana chimed in.

"You're right on that," the clerk concurred. "You have a great day. Feel free to wander and pick what you want. They'll weigh your baskets in the store. If you have any questions, please ask." She smiled at them.

"We'll definitely do that. Thanks," Sam expressed. She motioned her friends toward the orchard. "Maybe Pete and I can take one side and you both take the other? "

"Sounds great to us," Clark agreed. "You want the basket, Lana?"

"We can take turns carrying it," Lana told him. "See you both back here in about half an hour. Come on, Clark." She took off for the hanging treasures on the trees beyond.

"Guess that's our cue too?" Pete inquired.

"A good one if I ever heard one," Sam surmised. She guided him into the nirvana patch at hand.

[Half an Hour Later]

Lana eyeballed a particular apple tree laden with the desired fruit. Even her pedestrian eye could tell that this tree could top off the shared basket. She gazed back upon the trees she and Clark had picked from earlier. _If only this one had been at the front. _She frowned.

He glanced over from the next tree. "The rest of these trees are either green or picked over. Any luck?"

"You might say that." She cleared her throat and motioned with her head. "Look at this tree. I mean _really_? How are these apples not picked?"

"Lana, if it's here, it's been picked over. I…." His response stopped in its tracks at the sight of the tree in question. "Mom would love this!"

"Clark, we're all the way to the back of the orchard. We're not about to get another basket now." She checked her watch. "It's almost eleven. People are going to be here soon. These will all be gone."

"Maybe. Or maybe…." He looked all around to make sure they were by themselves. "Give me a minute." He rushed off at super speed toward the shed from earlier.

"Clark! Where are….?" She looked all around for him. "Where'd he go?" Then she felt a breeze stirring her hair. She turned to see him holding another basket.

"…or maybe I can get another one? Do you have enough on your card? Mom will pay you back," he offered.

"You seriously have super speed?" She rolled her eyes. "Wait. Of course you would. This is how you ran into Sam in the first place."

"And how I get to school most days. Then it's how I saved you from the twisters and a few other times. Keep watch for me?" he pointed out.

"Sure. I…What are you…?" She stared at his next move.

In the blink of an eye, his blur whipped around the tree. He considered each apple, focused on the best ones and put them in the new basket. He stopped at fifteen. "I think that'll do it."

"I guess it will." She folded her arms. Her eyebrow arched like a peeved school marm's. "Clark, what if someone saw you?"

"I looked first. There's nobody in sight, Lana, other than us. I just got what we needed in a few seconds. Shall we get the rest of the fruit?" he assured her. He picked up both baskets and carried them toward the store.

_What else can he do? Super strength, heat vision, and now speed? Clark, you're definitely full of surprises. I'm just glad the solar storms are over. _She followed him toward the building in question. "Remember we have to get the other fruit too."

"I remember." He smiled. "Let's just focus on getting the best stuff for the parents. Okay?"

"Okay. I'm just following your lead," she relented.

"Lana, we're still a team. I just got us another basket is all," he assured her. He led her into the store. Then he pulled Martha's list from his pocket. "Let's see. She wants cherries, raspberries and more strawberries? We can get those back home."

"Maybe she wanted them from here too?" she supposed. She picked out two containers of cherries and raspberries. "How many strawberries?"

"Just one container. This'll max us out." He checked over the list. "Yeah that's everything. Let's check out. Maybe we can get some cider while we're waiting?"

"That'd be great. I'm parched," she agreed. She noticed the staff's surprised expressions. "Hi, Folks. Nice day isn't it?"

"You all certainly are having one all right." A broad shouldered African American teenager considered their baskets. "You found the apples. Did you find what you needed here in the store?"

"We sure did. Thanks. Mom's going to make pies and preserves," Clark informed him.

"That'll be some scene in the kitchen. I'd love to be there to smell those pots cooking down," the clerk presumed with a smile. He weighed the apples and bagged them in paper bags. Then he rang up the berry containers in turn.

"Should we buy a bottle of cider or do you sell it by the glass?" Lana asked.

The clerk motioned to the fridge to his right. "We do both. Best bet though is to buy a quart bottle. We got cups here if you want."

"What do you think, Clark?" Lana queried.

Clark shrugged. "Pete and Sam will want some. Let's buy a bottle and split it four ways. That'll be a glass apiece." He walked over to the cooler and grabbed the bottle in question. "We'll take one and four cups."

"Very good." The clerk rang it in. "I'm ready for the card."

Clark noted the total on the register screen. Seeing as it was within Martha's estimation, he ran the card through the reader. The fact that the extra apples fell within that as well relieved him.\\\

The clerk handed him the receipt. "Very good, Mr. Kent. Have a nice day."

At that moment, Sam and Pete lugged their apple basket in.

"Hey, Guys. You look like you did all right," Lana presumed.

"We thought we did," Pete replied. He noted the other baskets. "You both just blew us out of the water."

Sam shook her head. "Clark, you got industrious. Didn't you?"

"I'm taller than Lana. I can reach the higher branches," Clark deflected half-truthfully.

"Yeah. That's one way of putting it," Pete answered. He knew full well that Clark had used his abilities to clear the orchard's most prime targets.

"Why don't you pay for your fruit? Then we've got some cider for us," Lana offered.

"That would be awesome," Sam accepted. "Come on, Pete." She led her collaborator toward the register.

"They know you too well," Lana informed Clark.

"Pete does. He figures I wanted to impress you," Clark dismissed. "It was no big deal."

"Now that we have the goods, let's get that cider. We have time before we're due at the pizza place," Pete prompted.

"Let's find that picnic table outside. Then we can drink to our successes," Clark agreed.

Lana exchanged glances with Sam. _This is definitely going to take some getting used to!_


	34. Pizza

Chapter 35 [1:15 PM]

Lana followed Pete's lead back into the bigger city. She looked about at the different trees lining the roads as opposed to those in Smallville. Downtown's high rises seemed to pop up out of nowhere. She admired the Delano district's shops and restaurants as they passed into view. As soon as they crossed the Arkansas River, the largely residential theme resumed once more.

"Almost feels like it's pieced together. Kind of historic," Clark assumed.

"It must be the older part of the city," she deduced. They passed a strip mall-lined intersection. A full shopping mall could be seen on the left before they stopped at what seemed like a major four way intersection. "Wish I knew where he's going. This must be some pizza."

"We're close to where Sam and I ran into each other," he noted.

"Really? Okay. This must be close to where Sam lives then," she realized. Seeing Pete make the right turn, she got into the same lane and turned as well.

"This looks familiar." He did recall the homes and small structures on either side of the street as they made their way north. "Sam mentioned a pizza place in the big shopping plaza on the left. It's kind of on a hill. We went by it on the bus."

"There are shopping centers on the left and right, Clark." Seeing Pete get into the left lane, she did the same. "Guess it's the one on the left." She made a left turn. "And this incline can seem like a hill." She made another turn besides a concrete building closer to the street. She parked next to Pete's car. "And this must be it."

"Pete really likes this place. He asked me to see how it compared to Luigi's pizza in Granville," he mentioned.

"I'm sure. The reviews for it are really good online," she agreed. "Guess we should find out. Right?" She smirked. "Unless you've got super taste buds that can sample from here?"

He rolled his eyes. "Not that I know of."

"Good to know there are things you can't do yet," she cracked. "Come on." She got out and led him toward where their friends waited.

He shook his head. _If only she knew. _

"You made it. Long drive from Derby but worth it," Sam told them. "Best pizza in Wichita as far as I'm concerned." She led the others up the sidewalk. As they went, they could look in the four windows comprising the store front. Inside the small dining area only had about seven tables and a row of chair along a red lunch counter. A glass cookie jar and a cash register took up some of that same counter. The patrons therein walked across white tile to their tables or the soda machine set up along the right wall by a full sized cooler. She opened the glass front door and held it open for Pete. "Here we go!"

"We usually get a large beef, onion and mushroom." Pete told them.

"You can get a slice or split a pizza. It's up to you," Sam added.

Lana scanned the menu on the board overhead. "Pepperoni and peppers would be good. Any ideas, Clark?"

"How hungry are you?" Clark scanned the board for himself. "It's eight slices. I'm hungry. You?"

"I can eat three. That okay?" Lana supposed.

"That works. Maybe some onion too? I've got ours," Clark offered her.

"Thanks, Clark. Maybe if we're hungry after the concert, we can get something then," Lana agreed. "If they're ready, we can go ahead."

"Just follow my lead, Clark," Pete urged with a grin. He walked up to the counter where a short Asian girl in a pink shirt and apron waited to take their order. "Hey there. We'll do two large pizzas. First one is beef, onion and mushroom. Two drinks for us. And the second…."

"Second one will be pepperoni, peppers and onions," Clark ordered. "We'll get two drinks for us with that one please."

The waitress scribbled the order down on her pad. "Okay let me make sure I've got this right. You want two large pizzas. The first one is beef, onion and mushroom. The second one's a pepperoni, peppers and onions. Four drinks. Right?"

"That's right. I'll do the first one. Clark will get the second," Pete indicated. He swiped his card for the first half of the order.

The waitress pulled the slip out of the machine. "Okay, Mr. Ross, if you can sign, I'll get your friend's card to finish the order." She handed the slip and a pen to Pete. Then she swiped Clark's card. Finally she handed that slip to Clark. "Mr. Kent, I need your signature too." She took the two slips and looked them over. "Okay, Guys. We'll have those right out to you." She handed them a metal sign with a plastic "27" number tag on top.

"Thanks. That'd be great," Pete expressed.

At that moment, Sam spied a teenage girl with a beige sweater and dirty blonde hair sitting at a table not far from them on the left. "Alicia?"

Alicia waved back to her. "Hi, Sam! You have a good break?"

"I did. Had to take an unexpected road trip. It was great though. I made a couple of new friends," Sam informed her. "I got to see Pete's town. Mind if we sit with you?"

"No problem." Alicia pulled her backpack from the seat across from herself. She draped her own coat over her chair back. "Hi Pete. Everything okay?"

"I'm cool. I've got a couple of friends visiting from Smallville this weekend for apples and Sam's concert tonight. Alicia, these are Clark Kent and Lana Lang. You remember Pete. Clark and Lana, this is Alicia Baker," Pete introduced.

"Glad you could come on such a great weekend. Sam certainly picked a great welcome meal here. The folks here are nice. And Sam can play that violin," Alicia told them.

"Everyone at the coffee place was nice," Clark recalled from the previous visit. "So far, it's been great."

"It can be. Just keep that positive energy, Clark," Alicia advised. "You're farmers?"

"My parents are," Clark replied. "Lana manages a café in town."

"Really? That's impressive," Alicia declared with a thoughtful nod. "I'd like to get into business after graduation. Must be nice to have a chance to do things like that."

"I had a dream about an old theater." Lana smiled. "With a friend's help, we turned it into a café. It's had its rough spots but the town really supports us."

"The Talon makes fantastic coffee drinks, Alicia. Their mochas are to die for," Sam reported.

Alicia arched an eyebrow. "Wow. To get Sam to gush on your drinks like that, you're definitely doing something right. If I'm ever out that way, I'll definitely need to stop in and try it."

"Please do. I'd love the feedback," Lana invited. "Where do you all go around here?"

"Bishop Raymond just down the street on the left," Alicia told them. "All the best that private school can provide and just as stifling…well except for football season."

"Our team's pretty good folks say. I don't know," Sam added.

"Yeah they're good all right. They ran over us last year in the state semifinals," Pete recalled.

"We are. How is your team doing?" Alicia asked.

"We're 2-1 and about to go into the division play I guess. I had to drop the team since I have to be here on the weekends. Oh well…." Pete pointed out.

"Well we're glad you're able to visit," Sam assured him. While she knew his friends would miss him, she couldn't deny that she wished Pete were in Wichita permanently either at West High or at her school.

"Hey it's all good. Got to be here for my Mom. Meantime I'm making friends and I can give my other friends a good time. Right?" Pete shrugged off the potential disappointment. Besides he didn't want to get into a discussion about Whitney in front of Clark or Lana. Hey, Clark. Let's get the drinks."

"Uh sure." Clark frowned as he wanted to talk further with the girls. Still he knew the pizza would be there soon enough. "What do you want, Lana?"

"Lemonade's great," Lana told him. "Thanks, Clark."

"No problem." Clark smiled at her. For a heartbeat, he felt a brief urge to float ceiling-ward. Then he fought it down. "Be back." He hustled off.

"What was that about?" Alicia looked weirdly at the Plaid One.

"You know how it is on dates. You look into a lady's eyes and see that sparkle. Clark really is excited to be here. Be back." Pete headed across the room brewing up another of his 'Dude, be more careful' talks.

"That's just Clark. He loses focus for a second or two before remembering what he has to do sometimes," Lana noted. _At least he's not speeding off somewhere. _She glanced across the dining area to see the guys filling their cups. _Just don't be too hard on him, Pete. It's been a hard enough week as it is. _

"So anyhow love all the history here. We saw a lot of old houses coming across town," Lana changed the topic.

"Some parts of town are building up faster than others," Sam assessed. "Out east there's a lot of newer businesses. If you go up Maize Road and into Goddard, there's been a lot of development out there."

"And in Maize too," Alicia chimed in. "Clark's folks might not want to see it but a lot of farmers are selling and going into other lines of work."

"The Kents are great people," Sam indicated. "They love what they do." She shrugged.

"Exactly!" Clark sat back down. He slid the lemonade over to Lana. "There you are. Hope that's an okay amount of ice." He had a Pepsi for himself.

She tried a sip and nodded. "It's great. Thanks." She squeezed his hand. Then she noticed two waitresses carrying their pizzas toward them. "Guess this is it?"

"It is." Pete grinned. "Just wait, Clark. You're in for a treat!"

"Let's see how it is. Everyone's got their favorites. Right?" Clark allowed.

"Okay. This one's for you two. Pepperoni, peppers and onions. The other one, Sam and Pete, is for you. Any peppers or grated cheese?" the Asian waitress noted. Getting head shakes all around, she added, "Great. Just let us know if you need anything." With that, she returned to the counter.

"Okay!" Pete rubbed his hands. He eased a beef and onion slice onto a plate and handed it over to Sam. "First one for you. Then I get one."

"Why thank you," Sam expressed with a bit of humor in her voice.

"Got to be a gentleman," Pete told her (and everyone else).

Clark coughed knowing his friend as he did. "Lana, which piece would you like?"

"I'll take this one. Thanks." Lana picked up a slice and placed it on her plate. "Let's see how this is." She bit through the cheese, sauce and then crust. The spices tingled in her mouth. Her smile broadened. "You're right, Pete. This is good."

"See? Now your turn, Clark. Got to try it," Pete urged playfully daring his friend onward.

"Go on." Lana nudged him still further. She took another bite.

Clark picked up a skinny piece. He hesitated ever so slightly. For a heartbeat, he felt like he was betraying Luigi's trust. Still couldn't he simply _try _a piece? He bit into the piece and sampled the toppings. It was different yet good in its own way. He nodded and took another bite.

"Good, isn't it?" Pete supposed.

"I feel like I'm cheating. It's silly but…." Clark explained. "Dad usually gets our pizzas from our family friend in Granville. This is good too."

Alicia coughed. "You're here not there, Clark. You aren't going to just run there and back."

_He could. _"Well we can enjoy what's provided. Right?"

"Right," Clark agreed before finishing his slice. "Besides the company's great." He looked right at Lana as he said it.

"If I didn't know better, Clark, I'd say you were trying to butter me up." Lana let her eyes sparkle into his.

Clark felt his heart skip a beat. A surge flowed through him other than the previous solar ones.

Maybe something different wasn't so bad after all….


	35. Before the Concert

Chapter 36 [That Night]

[Raymond Hotel—Lana's Room]

Lana paced about her room. She'd had more fun than she'd thought possible that day. Before Clark's super speed picking at the end, they'd talked, joked and baited each other through a basket of the best apples. They enjoyed their pizza interspersed with great conversation and friends' company. They discovered more about each other. They treasured what they already knew and shared the best of that. Coming up she and Pete would introduce Clark to the symphony and Sam's expert play on the violin.

And best of all, everything was _normal. _Clark, other than the momentary exception at the orchard, functioned as a typical teenager and boyfriend. Granted he had the abilities at his disposal. Still he didn't need them on that day.

_No solar powered lapses or mistakes. Guess we should be grateful for small favors. _She gazed upon her reflection in the mirror. Her hands smoothed her white blouse and beige skirt. _Wish I had a blazer to go with this. It looks nice. Clark will like it. That's what matters. _She let out a big breath. Her eyes gravitated toward her watch to see 6:15. _Time to go._

She picked up her purse and walked toward the door. With each step, she beat her internal butterflies down more and more. At least she hoped there would be no reason for them….

[Clark's Room]

Clark straightened his tie. He didn't really get classical music. Given his previous history with Lana, he worried that something would still come up to wreck this date with her. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. Even if he felt normal and his abilities functioned okay, nerves burned against the sides of his stomach like kryptonite shards.

He just wanted that night to go great. That's it. No more, no less….right?

_This is going to be different. There are no red meteors around. I'm in control. I can support Sam. Lana's going to have a great time. Lex and Byron will be there for great conversation. Pete's there to keep an eye on things. Mom likes what we got from the orchard. Can't ask for any more than that. Right? _He put his blazer on. _Wish Pete could've stuck around. I really need someone to talk to._

_You'll be fine, Numan. Just be yourself. _Kyla stepped into view from the room's far corner. "Have confidence in yourself. You're doing great." Her eyes glistened at him in the lamplight. Her buckskin tunic and leggings had nary a scrape or spot of wear on them.

"Kyla?" He froze at the sight of his deceased friend/former interest. "Not that I don't want to see you. It's great. But you're…well…."

"Dead? Yes, Clark, I am," she replied remembering that he preferred to be addressed that way. "Laura Lang mentioned Lana and you are on your first real date." She sighed and shrugged. "I was sent back to encourage you."

"Encourage? Kyla, I don't want to throw this in your face." He embraced her. "I love Lana but I'll always care for you."

"I know. Thanks though for that." She returned the gesture with one of her own. "I wish I would have been your One, that is Lana's destiny not mine." She removed a leather pouch from her belt. "This is for her when the time comes." She handed it to him.

"For her? What?" He opened the pouch. His eyes went wide in surprise. "Kyla! This is your bracelet! I can't do that!"

Kyla frowned. "The women of my tribe, as you know, were that bracelet's caretakers. Grandfather hung onto this after you wouldn't accept it. I appreciate that you respect me so as not to just give it easily to someone else. But you need to move ahead." She gazed into his eyes. Her hand smoothed his dark hair. "You're doing the right thing. Assure Lana that she is your one."

"Thanks." He put the bracelet back in its pouch. Then he put it in his duffel. "When the right moment comes. Right now I don't want to pressure her."

"You're growing so much, Clark. I am so proud." She kissed his cheek. "Make us all proud, Numan." With that, she disappeared back into the air leaving no trace that she'd been there.

_And now Kyla? This must be important. I can't screw this up. _He sucked in a deep breath and looked in the mirror. "You can do this. You can do this."

At that moment, a knock came from the door.

"Guess that's my cue." He pulled his blazer on and headed for the door. He tried to relax but his heart beat at a jackhammer pace. He opened the door and stepped back in awe. "Hi, Lana. Wow."

She nodded somehow keeping herself composed in the process. "You clean up great yourself, Clark. I think this is like the second time I've seen you in a suit. Very nice."

"You look great yourself. New blouse?" he complimented.

"As a matter of fact, it is." She considered her outfit and then offered him a smile. "Good eye, Clark." Her eyes sparkled at him. "Guess we're both nervous."

He shrugged. "Guess so. I don't want to screw up tonight."

"You're already doing so much better than the last few times. There are no crises, no distractions or anything else. You're just keeping it simple and just being yourself. That's all I can ask," she assured him. "Just be supportive of Sam. Other than that, everything around us will take care of itself."

"Sounds simple. Wish it was. Classical music isn't exactly my thing. I want Sam to do great," he pointed out.

"Then don't make it 'your thing'. You are the most supportive guy when it comes to your friends. You care. That, not the music or anything else, is the thing you focus on tonight." She squeezed his hands in hers. "Maybe appreciate that she's doing it? I appreciate that you're willing to give this a chance."

"I want to play my part. I want you to have a great time," he declared.

"Then you're doing great." She rubbed his arm. "Let's go and meet the others downtown." She motioned for him to follow her outside.

_Here we go. _He shut the lights off and stepped out. Then he followed Lana toward the truck. "Lana?"

"Yes, Clark?" She stopped trying to keep a calm exterior for his benefit.

"If I'm doing great, you're a big help," he complimented.

"That is the right thing to say." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "You're better at this than you know. Come on. We have friends to meet and Sam to support." Her eyes sparkled at him in tune with the stars overhead.

_Amor's _giddiness unsteadied him for a minute. Yet he still felt lighter than air as he headed for her blazer.

Seems that his instincts weren't that far off after all…..


	36. Acceptance

Chapter 37 [Century II—Downtown Wichita, KS]

The crowd buzzed in their seat in anticipation. Professors from the university's Fine Arts Department and some graduate students awaited the latest interpretation of Sibelius and Mozart. The _Eagle_'s reviewers scribbled their first observations in their notebooks.

Clark leaned back in his seat. He glanced about the chamber taking in the entire scene. Admittedly he felt out of place.

_KAL-EL, THESE HUMANS ARE ATTEMPTING TO REACH A HIGHER CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING. TAKE IT AS SUCH. WHILE THEY ARE TOO EMOTIONAL, THEY EMULATE THE ACCOMPLISHED. TAKE IT AS SUCH, _Jor-El urged.

_Like I need this? _Clark struggled to keep a straight face. _I'm here to support a friend. I want to love Lana. You're opposed to me acting like this._

_YOU ARE KRYPTONIAN NOT HUMAN. I DO NOT WISH YOU TO MIX WITH THEIR LOWER KIND, KAL-EL. YOUR COURTSHIP WITH THE LANG HUMAN HOWEVER IS ACCEPTABLE. I ERRED BEFORE, _Jor-El conceded.

Clark arched his eyebrow. _Really?_

_THE LANG GIRL IS DESCENDED FROM A CROSS BETWEEN A HUMAN AND A KRYPTONIAN. IN THE PAST, SUCH BEINGS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TOUCH ONE OF OUR CLASS. SHE AND THE COWACHE WERE THE TWO SUITABLE. LANA LANG IS THE REMAINING CHOICE. THE TALISMAN IS IN YOUR POSSESSION. IT SHOULD BE PASSED ALONG, _

Lana glanced over at Clark. Despite his attempts to maintain a straight face, she could see that he was bothered by something. _Now what? _She rubbed his arm. "Clark?"

_SHE SENSES OUR CONVERSATION. EXTRAORDINARY, _Jor-El realized.

_Don't touch her. We can't rush her, _Clark pointed out. Fear pressed at his heart.

"Clark, what is it?" She touched his arm.

Boosted by her touch, Clark was able to break off the connection. "Lana?" He trembled slightly.

She looked about the area. For a minute, she recognized his expression and body language from that day in the storm cellar. "Are you all right?"

"I am now. Thanks." He squeezed her hand. "Maybe we can talk later?"

She wasn't really convinced. Still she appreciated the fact he was willing to still listen to the concert. "Okay. Just relax, Clark. It's going to be all right."

"I know. Thanks." He motioned toward the stage. "They're all up there. So's Sam. I think they're getting ready to start."

She nodded. She rubbed his hand. "They are. Let's have a good time. All right?"

_A good time. Let's hope the music really soothes. _He leaned back and waited for the concert at hand…..


	37. Good Night

Chapter 38 [Later That Night]

Clark stared out at the passing landmarks to his right and left. His mind still spun from the dizzying heights brought on by the symphony. Granted there were moments that his attention drifted in and out. Still he admired the musicians' skill and diligence with their respective instruments. Their partnership under the conductors' direction led to a harmonic convergence.

Collaboration…what one wished for when they were the last of their society or caste….

_Is that what Jor-El meant? I can blend in. I can be a part in a higher design. I function on the farm, at school and with the others. _

"Clark?" Lana looked over at him. Despite her concern about him, she'd thoroughly enjoyed the concert. Once again, Sam impressed her with the mastery of the violin. The bow induced its sweet melodies across the strings. _Now what? I know he had a good time. But what's going on with him? _She touched his arm.

"Huh? Oh, Lana! Sorry." He collected himself and looked at her. "What's up?"

"That's my question for you. Are you all right? What happened back at Century II?" she wondered. She turned into the Raymond's parking lot and then into their spot. "You seemed ready for everything. Then you just blanked out there. You had that look."

"Look? Look like what?" Her question startled him. "I don't understand."

"The look you had that day when I found out in the storm cellar." She narrowed her eyes. "It was him. Wasn't it? Jor-El? Was he talking to you?"

"Lana, I…."

"Clark, please. It's all right. I don't blame you," she assured him. "If anything, you watched and supported Sam along with the rest of us. Still you were struggling in there. What did he want?" She looked pointedly into his eyes. "Was he trying to come between us again?"

He shook his head. "Actually no he wasn't. Jor-El stated that you're actually appropriate for me given your heritage. You have a Kryptonian ancestor."

She nodded recalling what Laura had said to her. "So now that he realizes that, I guess I've been pardoned?" Sarcasm provided a sharp edge to her words.

"He doesn't want you dead any more. Guess we should be grateful for small favors," he replied while rubbing his forehead.

"So because I have someone in my background, I'm now okay?" She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'm just glad you're stronger than you were last summer. At least you kept the appearance up. And I'm glad you're fighting for us."

"With everything I have, Lana," he vowed. He grinned at her for emphasis.

"Well good! I can't have my _Superman_ divided in his loyalties. Now can I?" She smirked at him. "It's going to be okay, Clark. We'll figure it out. Now come on. We have an early start tomorrow. Your Mom's going to want that fruit and the report on the music. I have to look in on the Talon. Reality calls."

"We can get through together," he assured her.

"That, _Mr. Kent_, was the right answer." Her lips brushed _Amor's _strokes across his cheek. "Sleep well. All right?"

"Now I will." His grin broadened.

"I'll bet." She chuckled as they got out. "Don't be tarnishing too much in your head. I want my Plaid Knight with clean armor in the morning."

"It's not like that." He frowned and rolled his eyes.

"Sure, Clark." Her eyes shone in tune with _Luna _and the stars above. "See you in the morning." She headed for her room.

_Now she's telling me not to have thoughts. Whatever! _He shook his head while going to the room. To pay attention or not pay attention? Guess it was more complicated than even Shakespeare might've imagined…..


	38. Lana Speaks to Jor-El

Chapter 39 [Two Hours Later]

[A/N: Guess Jor-El's not just talking to Clark now…..]

[Lana's Hotel Room]

Lana stared at the ceiling. After her conversation with Clark, the blissful feelings evaporated. Concern and frankly Anger dominated her thinking. _Who is this dead father of his to tell Clark who to be with? He's here and not on Krypton. I mean really? We care about each other. I've loved him since we were kids. Clark would tell me the same if he wasn't being harassed by everyone! Why now? Everything seemed so normal this afternoon. I know Clark was trying. Why can't this Joe…Jor-El…leave us alone? _Her hands clenched at the sheets. A pronounced frown spread across her face. _Maybe this is like what my ancestor went through? I…._

A gentle melody wafted into her ears from everywhere and nowhere. Much like the earlier symphony, it soothed the nerves. Her eyes drooped and closed altogether. Her head slumped against the pillow.

Sleep claimed her sweeping her away from there…..

[Somewhere Else]

Lana stirred slowly. A warm summer-like breeze ruffled her hair. Birds' singing and bees' buzzing caressed her ears. Bright sunlight caused her to blink and open her eyes. She sat up with a start. "Mmm….what?" Her eyes went wide as they took in the meadow around them not to mention the violets, roses and lavender in abundance. "Where am I? This isn't the hotel."

"You're still there in a manner of speaking, Lana." A woman dressed in white robes approached. Her stylized hair rose under an identical white wrap. "I understand if you're confused. This has all been a lot to take in."

Lana backed away ever so slightly. Her mind did indeed struggle to doggie paddle through this puzzle much less digest it. And that wasn't counting the fact that the figure in front of herself was her mirror reflection. "You're me?"

The woman shook her head. "Yes and no. Yes I was an Earth woman in love with a Kryptonian man sixty years ago in Smallville. Yes we faced similar issues as you are now. No however, I am not you. I am your Great Aunt Louise." She smiled and allowed the younger woman a gentle smile.

"Louise? Louise MacCallun? Mom told me about you." Lana rubbed her forehead.

"I know it's a lot. It's time you had your questions answered. He wants to meet you, Lana," Louise told her.

"He? Who?" Lana frowned. "I'm in my sweats from the hotel. I…." She nearly jumped at the sight of the previous night's clothes on herself. "Okay. This just violated so many barriers…."

"Relax. Nobody has touched you much less hurt you." Louise held her hands out. "This is a dreamscape. Outfits and such can be changed by it. Appearances and such don't even here. We could be taken as twins if we were the same age, Lana. So could your Clark with him. Brace yourself." She glanced over her shoulder. "Be gentle, Joe."

_THAT IS UP TO HER, LOUISE._

Once again, Lana's eyes went wide. "Joe? As in Clark's birth father?" She held her hand up shielding her eyes from the increasing light there.

"Joe, please. I don't want my niece blinded." Louise shot an unforgiving frown into the light.

The light reduced in intensity. Slowly it dimmed and reformed itself into a tall male figure dressed in matching robes. His hard hair and chiseled features demanded respect. His eyes seized her attention.

"You do look like Clark!" Lana realized.

"That's because I am Kal-El's father. I am Jor-El. As Louise told you, it was time we should meet," he introduced himself.

Lana exhaled sharply. Her nerves flared inside of herself. Uncertainty swept her up in its inexorable tide.

"It's all right. Calm yourself," Louise assured her providing an important lifeline in this chaos.

He marched in a circle around the teenager. His eyes looked her over from every angle inspecting every facet. "Yes. Now it is."

"Now what is? You still want to kill me?" Lana pressed.

"I threated you rashly, Lana Lang. I have reconsidered. You have shown Kal-El the value of heritage and loyalty," he assured her.

"Uh…thank you? I think…." Lana glanced skeptically at Louise.

"At least you accept Clark for everything he is. Well you are trying to," Louise clarified.

Lana nodded. "When you love someone, that's what you have to do. I want to stand beside him."

"A worthy outlook. I know you both are part of this Earth society. As much as I would want it to be more like Krypton, it cannot be. I do not want that forgotten however," he told them.

"I wouldn't make Clark forget. Aunt Louise and I have ties to your world and culture. Our family made it. Why can't one that Clark and I start do the same?" Lana pointed out.

"Jonathan Kent would try," he reminded them. Anger narrowed his eyes.

Lana rolled her own eyes. She'd already seen Jonathan's stubborn outlook on several issues. "I'm sure Mrs. Kent would help where she can. You can't keep putting Clark in the middle or he might run away again."

"She has a point, Joe," Louise chimed in. "Each side wants their way and expects the other to give way. We need a middle way now."

"A middle way." He nodded allowing the concept to mull over in his mind. "That is something to be considered by all sides." He extended his index finger. "Hold still, Lana Lang."

Lana tensed not being sure what to expect.

"You may feel some pain and be overwhelmed. Now though, you will understand what it means to be truly both." His finger touched her forehead.

Lana grimaced. A flood of images crashed through her brain. A cacophony of sounds crashed into her ears. Emotions and feelings overwhelmed her. She ground her teeth.

"It's okay, Lana. Just take it in. Don't fight it," Louise advised. She put her hand on the teen's shoulder. Soothing energies flowed through her. "I am imparting what help I can."

Lana nodded. She sucked in a couple of efforted breaths. _Is this what it's like for Clark when one of his abilities surfaces? How does he…?_

_IT IS WHEN HE FIGHTS HIMSELF AND REPRESSES HIS HERITAGE. _His eyes glowed crimson.. _TO BE KRYPTONIAN IS TO BE TELEPATHIC IN ALL REGARDS, LANA LANG. IF YOU CONTINUE AS YOU HAVE, MORE WILL BE GRANTED. FOR NOW THIS IS A TRIAL PERIOD OF SORTS. DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME._

"She won't, Joe," Louise vowed. She embraced Lana tightly. "It's time to go back. It's great to see you! Take care!"

"You too, Aunt Louise." Lana returned the embrace with one of her own. :Will we see each other again?"

"Some day we will. Remember your promise and mine," Louise reminded her.

_AS LOUISE HAS SAID, REMEMBER, YOUNG ONE…._

Once more a bright light swept across her field of sight dazzling Lana's eyes and sweeping her away.

[Lana's Hotel Room]

As her vision cleared, Lana found herself back in her room again. She was back in her sweats and under the sheets again. Still her head throbbed. The buzzing unsettled her. "Great. I wasn't dreaming. Maybe a shower and breakfast might help?"

_Maybe Lana wants breakfast? _Clark seemed to ask right on cue. His words echoing in her mind; their timbre clearly picked up on there but with no sound for her ears.

"I…" She narrowed her eyes. "Clark?" She looked all around the room. "Clark?"

_YOU HEARD HIM BUT NOT WITH YOUR EARS. YOU HEARD HIS THOUGHTS. THIS IS HOW KRYPTONIANS COMMUNICATE, _Jor-El reminded her.

_Now I hear his thoughts? _Lana bit her lip. "Now I really need the shower." She grabbed her towel and trudged toward the shower.

Talk about getting more than one bargained for…..


	39. Jor-El Shakes Clark Awake

Chapter 40 [Clark's Room—10 Minutes Earlier]

Clark slowly opened his eyes. He'd enjoyed a peaceful night's sleep devoid of nightmares or worries. The pizza and concert with Lana and their friends invigorated him. Even the music seemed enjoyable (much to his surprise). While he'd gone at first to please her and their friends, Sam's mastery over the strings eased his mood and filled him in pride for her. As Lana knew it would, Sam's play calmed him further. He stretched his arms overhead. _Dad would be razing me about sleeping in. Would be nice to hear it though! _He got up and padded around the room's carpet. In a super speed burst, he packed his clothes from the previous night into their garment bag. His used flannel shirt and other things went into a plastic bag which in turn settled into a duffel. He headed for the waiting shower. "This feels better."

_KAL-EL, YOU ARE SO OBLIVIOUS! NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR PLEASURE! WE HAVE A SITUATION!_

Clark rolled his eyes. "Of course we do. Can't this wait? Lana and I have to get back…."

_LANA LANG IS THE SITUATION._

He stopped dead in his tracks. "What? What did you do?" He flung the towel against the wall. "Can't you stop, Jor-El?"

_I DID NOTHING EXCEPT TO AWAKEN HER HIDDEN HERITAGE, MY SON. SHE CAN NOW UNDERSTAND US MUCH AS WE DO EACH OTHER. I HAVE GIVEN HER MY SUPPORT AND BLESSING. YOU NEED TO SUPPORT HER AS SHE TRANSITIONS._

"Transitions?" He gasped. His heart skipped several beats. On the one hand, his ghostly father was conceding the fight where Lana was concerned.

_SHE HAS TAKEN THE FIRST STEP TOWARD HER KRYPTONIAN HERITAGE. EVEN NOW, SHE STRUGGLES TO UNDERSTAND TELEPATHY. SHE NEEDS YOU, KAL-EL. REACH OUT TO HER. IT WAS HER HEART AND THAT OF MY LOST LOVE WHICH MADE IT SO. DO NOT DELAY FURTHER. _With that, Jor-El went silent.

"Terrific." Clark ran his hands through his hair. _What did he do? _He paced back and forth. _Maybe Lana wants some breakfast. We can talk there. _He exhaled deeply trying to compose his thoughts. He wanted to check in with his parents. Still he knew Martha would pick up on the situation instantly. "Great. We have another crisis and I can't talk to anyone? Seriously?"

_Geez. Now he's all nervous. Joe had to tell him, _Lana seemed to say.

"Lana?" Clark glanced about the room. Not finding anyone else there, he shook his head.

_I TOLD YOU. YOU BOTH ARE TELEPATHIC, KAL-EL. STOP THIS. YOU BOTH ARE LINKED, _Jor-El admonished.

"So we both know the other's thinking?" Clark felt so exposed. "Dad's going to hit the roof." He got on his cell.

"Clark, thanks! We really need to talk. Do you know what's going on?" Lana answered.

"I know. He told me. I'm packed. I just need to shower and dress. Give me ten minutes. You want breakfast?"

"That'd be great actually. Then we should get back. Maybe give me fifteen minutes. We'll talk on the way home. I don't want anyone overhearing us," she suggested. "Last night was something else."

"Last night?" Anxiety stabbed at his heart.

"Clark, please calm down. I just felt that! It's really loud. All right? Just need to deal with this stuff. See you in a bit," she concluded before hanging up.

He stared at the phone. Jor-El's declaration had just been proven in uncertain terms. He felt her panic and uncertainty through the adjoining wall between their rooms. He'd heard her speaking in his head. And what had happened during the previous night to her?

Questions abounded…


	40. Lana Explains to Clark

Chapter 41[State Route 54—Between Goddard and Kingman—1 Hour and Fifteen Minutes Later]

Lana tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. Between the ibuprofen and Clark's support, the buzzing had somewhat subsided. She glanced up at the traffic light's red signal.

Clark sipped quietly on his coffee. With her distractions, he didn't want to further divide her attention with conversation. _Why did Jor-El have to do this NOW?_

She shrugged. "Sorry, Clark. You're not to blame. I'd rather talk than stay quiet."

"I feel like I unloaded all of this on you," he lamented.

She coughed. "Clark, I'm assuming that when something new comes up for you, it stirs up a lot around you. Right? I've seen you fly…or at least float and the fires at the Talon and jail. Pete, I'm sure, has more stories. My point is we didn't ask for this to happen. It did. Jor-El and Aunt Louise felt it was time not us to unleash my inner Kryptonian."

"Don't get me wrong. I think it's great we have that bond, Lana. I just never thought you…." He clammed up at that point not wanting to put his foot in his mouth.

"You never thought anyone else would have a link to Krypton now that it's gone?" That got another shrug from her shoulders. "Apparently I have a Kryptonian ancestor. Seems that my Aunt Louise wasn't the first person in my family to fall for someone from Krypton, Clark. There is an upside to this."

"I'll be glad to hear that. Mom and Dad are going to have a fit." He rubbed his forehead. "At least Dr. Swann will be interested."

"I'm sure he will be. So what is he? Is he like the big Kryptonian expert?" she wondered. She saw the light turn green and drove them through the intersection.

"As far as I know," he replied. "He's the only one that's approached me."

"That might be a good thing. Look at what Ryan went through at Sommerholt. They'd want to use us as lab rats." She rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

He stiffened. He didn't follow her meaning. "Not surprised at what?" 

She giggled. "You broke him out. Didn't you?"

He sighed. "He called the farm desperately seeking our help. Lana, what was I supposed to do? Garner lied to the police and faked the records. He insisted Ryan wasn't there. Then he kept experimenting on him."

"And if you'd been caught? Then what, Clark?" She felt his mood sinking even further. "Look I'm glad you got Ryan out. Maybe you'd want some backup? You pulled Lex and Judge Ross into it from what I heard. All I'm saying is be careful."

"I'm definitely trying," he relented.

"I know. I appreciate that, Clark." She set her right hand on his left arm for a heartbeat. Her eyes met his for that brief time as well before returning to the road.

He nodded. "So what happened last night? Sorry but…."

"It's okay. I was lying in bed and couldn't sleep. Then this music like at the symphony started up. I dozed off. Next thing I know, I'm in this meadow with lots of flowers. My Aunt Louise was there. So was Jor-El. He talked with me. Then he touched my forehead. That's when everything just exploded." She shook her head. "Every feeling and sensation multiplied by a hundred. I could hear thoughts in my head. That's when he told me Kryptonians are telepathic. Then I heard him in my mind. After that, I woke up in the room," she recounted.

He struggled to make heads or tails of her account. He'd been though a lot with Jor-El over the previous year. Still being drawn into a dreamscape? Having abilities imposed on her? Granted the fact that Jor-El approved of their relationship was a plus. Still he knew the downside as well: the next eruption from Mount Jonathan when he found out. "We'll have to think of what to say to my parents. Maybe don't tell Nell?"

"Nell doesn't need to know. As far as your folks, there isn't much they can do." She cleared her throat. _It's not like they can stop us from talking this way. Can they?_

He nearly spit up the coffee he'd just drank. "You just did it."

"Did what? I told you. We're telepathic. We can talk to each other like that. Jor-El did it with me. He's done it with you. Why can't we do it?" she insisted. "It's not anything bad, Clark. Maybe I can help you practice?" She smirked. Her eyes sparkled invitingly at him.

He felt an anxious twitch. _Well if she can do it, I can try. _He looked at her again. _Can you hear me now?_

She giggled. _Of course I did and I can. See, Clark? It's not so hard. Is it? Maybe we can practice until we get back? Oh and enjoy the ride too._

He leaned back in his seat. Another piece of his heritage had just unfolded. He'd shared it with his Barista Fair. Still he dreaded his parents' reaction.

Best of times, worst of times and all that….


	41. Lana Feels at Home

Chapter 42 [Next Afternoon—Kent Farm]

Lana drove down the driveway. She eagerly anticipated that afternoon's "stew down" and canning. School proved largely uneventful. Admittedly she struggled to concentrate on her studies. She coped with the emotional chaos and teenaged angst around herself. Several times she'd made excuses to Chloe about it. _How am I going to deal with the Talon or anything if I can't cope with this stuff? _She parked in front of the house. _Guess this is it._

_Lana, you're here?_

She rolled her eyes. _I just arrived. _She shook her head. During the latter part of the drive and the rest of that afternoon, she and Clark practiced their telepathic conversations. In between interspersed vocal responses to Jonathan and Martha, they'd learned to talk but act like they weren't doing so. They also agreed to respect each other's personal space. (For her, it was hard not to peek in on his other secrets. Still a promise was a promise.) _I hope there's still some stuff to do._

_I just cut up the last of the fruit. You can help Mom with her pies, _he explained.

_They were asking about that at the Talon. Great! _She pumped her fists.

_Don't get too excited. One might think that's the only reason you're here, _he teased.

She arched an eyebrow. _And what other reason would that be? _Then she allowed herself a smirk worthy of Lex's. Hearing nothing but crickets, she added, _Yeah I thought so._

As she reached the front door, Martha opened it. "Hi, Lana! Watched you pull up. Everything okay?"

"Hi, Mrs. Kent. It's a nice day. School went well. Clark's got things back under control. Besides I get to help further. Right?" Lana supposed.

"Last of the preserves is cooking down now. I'll start baking this afternoon too. Maybe we can work on that?" Martha considered the pots on the stovetop. "Clark, can you keep an eye on those please?"

He nodded. He inspected each one and stirred them in turn. The simmering fruit's aroma stirred anticipation for the coming breakfasts that winter. "Everything looks great, Mom."

"Thanks, Clark," Martha expressed. "I'll let Lex know there'll be some ready for Wednesday. Will that work, Lana?"

"Trust me. They'll sell out really fast, Mrs. Kent," Lana affirmed.

"We'll have to see what we can do to keep the supply up as long as we can. Meantime maybe you can help me with the apple pies?" Martha offered.

"Sure!" Lana agreed. Excitement lit up her eyes. She followed Martha toward the far end of the counter where the other items waited for them.

He smiled. Pride warmed his heart. He saw Lana establish connections with the past (Laura and Louise) and present (his parents and Jor-El). He noted that the future was on course.

Maybe patience would see them through things after all. One could only hope…..


	42. Clark's Impromptu Plan

Chapter 43 [Next Afternoon]

[Smallville Cemetery]

Lana sat in her blazer outside of the cast iron gate. Her eyes poked through the barrier toward the stones and those resting underneath them. More importantly, she mulled over the connection between two of the residents therein, Clark and herself. _I know Kyla and Jor-El aren't here. Still they've all done so much for us this past week. Someone should say something._

_I CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU, _Jor-El interjected. _PERHAPS KAL-EL MIGHT CONSIDER THAT AS WELL._

_He does. _She exhaled deeply and seemingly from her toes. _Maybe you might not be so heavy handed? We are on Earth. He hasn't forgotten Krypton. I won't make him do that. I did promise that much._

_YES YOU DID. HE NEEDS TO REMEMBER. I WOULD PREVENT A REPEAT OF PAST MISTAKES. _

_Was Aunt Louise a mistake, Jor-El? She was quite the woman, _she reminded him.

_SHE WAS A WORTHY REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOU HUMANS. STILL MY FEELINGS KILLED HER. I WOULD PROTECT KAL-EL FROM SUCH HEARTACHE. I WOULD PROTECT YOU FROM SUCH A FATE FOR HER SAKE._

_Those are our decisions to make. Thanks though for trying to look out for us. _She got out of the blazer and headed into the necropolis. She wove her way through the stones and turned at the angel statue. Right in front of her parents' marker, she stopped. She stooped down. Her hand cleared the yellowed grass trimmings from there. Wistfulness shone through her eyes. "Hi, Mom and Dad. Hope you're doing all right. It's been a really strange and weird couple of weeks. I wanted to learn more about what you both shared with the Kents back in the day. Well, as Mom knows, Dad, I learned a lot more about Clark Kent. There's a lot more to him than I considered. Just like you helped, Mom, Clark's birth father, Jor-El, and our Aunt Louise are still around and giving advice. Now I learned too that we had an ancestor from Krypton. Wow. Just when you thought we understood our family. Right?" She allowed herself a wry smile. "I just wanted to thank you both for giving as much to the Kents as you did back in the day. It's been great learning from Mrs. Kent about the baking, canning and sharing of traditions between our families. We met some of Pete's friends from Wichita last weekend and experienced things there. The preserves and pies are going to be on sale at the Talon tomorrow. It's really exciting. So thanks." A warm feeling rushed through her almost in response.

_Hey, Lana? Sorry if it isn't a good time, _Clark interjected.

_Speaking of the Plaid Farm Boy in question…. _She sighed. _I was visiting my parents. What's up?_

_I was going to run a couple of jars of preserves into Wichita for Sam. Want to come with me? _he offered.

_You give running out for an errand a whole new meaning, Clark. Okay. I'll meet you at the farm. See you in ten minutes? _she proposed.

_Sure. See you then. Say hi to your folks for me, _he agreed before going silent.

Lana sucked in a deep breath. "Sorry but I have to go. Got to spread the goodness. Love you both. I'll be back." She got up and headed back toward the blazer not be sure of what to expect of this trip. One thing was for sure, she wanted Sam to get a piece of the spoils from their shared endeavor.

[Ten Minutes Later—Kent Farm]

Clark looked over the just-canned preserves arranged on the counter. Pride warmed his heart. _Another year's batch is done. That'll taste great this winter. It'll be even better because we all had a hand in making it._

"Samantha talked about raspberry and strawberry," Martha recalled. She set a bubble wrapped jar of each on the counter. "This is really nice, Clark."

"Sam's a really great friend. She bailed me out last week. If we can give something back, why not?" he supposed. He set each of the wrapped jars in his backpack carefully. "Now they should be okay." He heard Lana's blazer pulling up to the house. "Great! She's here."

"Lana? Clark, you have school tomorrow. She can't drive you there and back," Martha doubted.

"I'm running us there and back. We'll try not to be too late." He dialed Pete's number on his phone. "Hi, Pete."

"Hey, Clark! What's up? Where's Lana? I'm at the Talon but the staff says she's still on vacation?" Pete replied.

"She's here at the farm. We're leaving for Wichita in about five minutes. Maybe you can let Sam know to be watching for us?" Clark explained.

Pete glanced around the café. Then he nodded. "Yeah I can do that. You're taking her too? I'll have to hear about this at some point. Be careful, Dude. See you tomorrow." He hung up. _Man, he's just going to run in there? Sometimes, Clark, you're just too much. _He smirked.

Clark hung up and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. He saw Lana and Martha talking by the door. "Pete's going to let Sam know. How was everything at the cemetery?"

"Good. Just filling everyone in on our two weeks." Lana replied not wanting to clue Martha in on what was going on under the surface. "You're going to just _run us in_, Clark? Sure this is okay?:

"How do you think I got to school all those times I missed the bus?" he asked her.

"Oh brother!" She shook her head. "As long as we're being careful. Mrs. Kent, we'll try and get back early. I don't want Chloe or her Dad worrying either."

"Good thinking. Give her my best too," Martha complimented. "And be careful. I know you just said you're thinking that way. I can't help worrying."

"We will be, Mom." He put his backpack on his back and secured the chest strap. "Ready?"

"So how do we do this? I can't run that fast and…" She stopped in mid-reply as he swept her up in his arms. "You're going to _carry me_ to Wichita?"

He shrugged and added a playful smirk. "Why not? Mom, can you get the door?"

Martha shook her head. "I think you're supposed to be coming in rather than going out."

"That'll be for another day, Mrs. Kent." Lana gazed deeply into her Plaid Prince's eyes. "A day that will come."

"Bet on that." He grinned. "Put your arms around my neck and hang on." When she'd done so, he took off at super speed down the driveway and onto the state road.

Lana looked around at the surroundings literally blurring past them. She could barely make out the houses and landmarks whipping in and out of view. "When do we get to Smallville?"

"We're way past town now. Just relax." He put on an extra burst of speed.

_Wow. _Awe left Lana agape to say the least.

Just when you'd seen it all…..


	43. Visit to Sam's

Chapter 44 [Sam's House—Wichita]

Even as her new friends in Smallville planned to include her, Sam watched the coffee perking in her coffee maker. Clark's barging into her on West 21st had really expanded her horizons. She'd seen Pete's world and met his friends. She'd found someone else with abilities. She'd discovered others who appreciated her music.

And Pete? Well she and he really seemed to be moving closer together.

_People put the folks out west down. They seem more genuine than folks here! I know he wants his friends but I wish Pete would move here. It'd be great to see him every day. _She frowned.

The coffee maker's beeping snapped her to attention.

_Pete'll be back on Saturday. It's just another three days. Right? _She poured herself a mug. "Maybe some practice will do me good." She glanced toward her father's empty chair. _I wish he was here more to hear me play. Some day he will be. _

The phone interrupted her.

"Who?" She raised an eyebrow. "Dad's not supposed to be back until Friday." She flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

"Hey, Sam! What's going on? It's Pete," Pete told her.

Her heart skipped a beat. She let a sigh out. Then she collected herself. "Nothing much. I'm just getting some homework done and having coffee. I'll practice a little. By the way, your Mom has a copy of the _Eagle's _review from last Saturday. Maybe you might read it and let me know what you think?"

"Maybe I know you're the bomb when it comes to playing your violin?" he supposed. He sipped on the coffee. "Mom texted me. Chloe let me read the online version at school. Pretty awesome!"

She blushed. "Thanks, Pete. It was great that everyone made the trip from Smallville to support the symphony and…well me."

"What? Like we wouldn't be there? Come on! We definitely have your back! Speaking of that, you home right now?" he reminded her.

"Uh yeah. Why?" She frowned trying to figure out his meaning.

"You're about to have a delivery."

"Delivery? I didn't order anything," she denied.

At that moment, a loud knocking came from the front door.

"Now what? Pete, just a minute." She set the phone down and headed for the door. She opened it to find Clark and Lana waiting there. "Wow! You didn't just drive down here, did you? I…"

"I ran us in here," Clark assured her. "Mind if we come in?"

"What? You're kidding right? Of course!" Sam ushered them both inside of the house. "Just a minute." She picked up her phone again. "Did you know Clark and Lana were coming?"

"Sure did. My boy's fast. Isn't he?" Pete assessed. "I'll bring you a pie this weekend. I think they've got the other things for you. You all have a great visit. Hey can I call you later?"

"Sure. I'd…like that." Again Sam's cheeks flushed. She waved her hands to generate a gentle breeze to cool the sweat beading across her skin. "Talk to you then." She disconnected the call and set the phone down. "I have some coffee if you'd like. Wish you'd let me know you were coming. I'd have met you at the coffee shop."

"That's okay. This is great. Clark kind of sprung this on me as well. I am glad he did. It's great seeing you. We had some stuff come up on Sunday where we had to take off sooner than planned," Lana assured her.

"Yeah. I know. What happened? Was it another solar powered crisis?" Sam looked the visitors over. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"A new ability came up for both of us," he noted. He took off the backpack and set it on the floor. Then he unzipped it and produced the two bubble wrapped jars. "For you."

"For…me? What?" Sam watched him set them on the end table. "This is such a surprise! You shouldn't have. Not that I don't appreciate it but…."

"You earned them," Lana urged. "Go ahead and open them."

"I…" Sam's eyes went wide. "Clark, your Mom sent these." Her eyes sparkled. She carefully opened the bubble wrap to find the preserves nestled in their glass vessels. "Oh wow! This will really make breakfast grand! Pete just told me he's bringing a pie this weekend from Smallville. Thank you both for keeping me in mind."

"Hey you helped make it possible. Like Mom, Lex or we were going to forget you?" He gave her a hug. "You're stuck with us as friends, Sam. Don't forget that."

"I'll second that," Lana agreed. She hugged their hostess as well. "You know if you're lonely, you can drive out for a visit."

"Or I can run us in here. It took us about fifteen minutes to get here. No big deal," he informed Sam.

She stared at him. "Fifteen minutes? Are you serious?"

"It's really quite a trip," Lana assessed.

"I was going slow. I can make Metropolis in ten minutes from the farm," he declared.

"If that's slow, I don't want to see you speeding," Lana told him. "In the time it takes me to drive to school or the Talon, you can get to Metro or here? I'm still adjusting. Maybe we can get a couple of those pizza slices while we're here?"

"That'd be great! Come on! Dinner awaits. Pete's going to be jealous," Sam agreed while grabbing her coat.

"He'll deal with it." Clark shrugged as Lana and he followed her out the front door toward her vehicle.

Friendships, it seemed, were their own reward…,


	44. Talon Gathering

Chapter 45 [Next Day—Talon]

In addition to the normal afterschool bustle, folks who normally didn't stop by the Talon for coffee or snacks did on that day. Thanks to Lex's strategic ads in the _Ledger _, Chloe's donated _Torch _ad space (not to mention a hefty feature story) and Martha's reputation, the buzz had circulated around town and the outlying areas. The line stretched along the wall starting at about 1:15.

Needless to say, it would be quite the scene.

[2:45 PM]

Lana sat in the parking lot. Granted she'd seen the café's parking lot filled up many times for football games and other civic events. Still she couldn't have imagined the popular response on that day. _Unreal. _She sighed and sipped on a bottled water. _Clark?_

_Hey! Mom and I are on our way over. What's going on? _Clark replied over their link.

_Brace yourself when you get here. The line's like sixty people deep. I can't believe it, _Lana informed him.

_Sixty? We only have twenty jars here total! Wow. _He somehow kept himself from shaking his head. _We're five minutes away._

_See you in a few then. _Lana frowned. She really didn't want to disappoint her friends and neighbors. Still she could clearly see that they'd underestimated the demand. _Guess there's too much of a good thing. _She walked toward the door.

Just then Sheriff Adams eased her way through the gathering. Her eyes measured the surroundings and kept a careful count to pass on to the Fire Marshall later. "Afternoon, Miss Lang. Quite the crowd, ain't it?"

"Good Afternoon, Sheriff Adams. Must be a big day," Lana replied while trying to keep as pleasant a tone as possible.

"Must be. By the way, limit in the Talon is for 100 people. You're way over that." Adams took a draught from her cup.

"Yeah I can see that." Lana shook her head while thinking of something to explain her way out of a potential fine.

"Mrs. Kent's jelly and pies are to die for. Maybe you should have planned for such demand?" Adams suggested.

"We've had her goods for sale before. They've never brought so many people in at once. We've sold through them in years past but…." Lana looked around. _Come on, Clark! Where are you? _Then she saw the familiar truck turn onto the street and drive toward them. About the same time, she saw Lex come out of the Talon.

Lex rolled his eyes. _Of all the times for *her* to show up, why now? The line would've been gone in twenty minutes. _Still he managed to collect himself. "Hey, Lana! Good Afternoon, Sheriff Adams. What's going on?"

"Hell of a gathering, _Lex_. I was just telling Miss Lang you're over the occupancy limit. Any idea how you're going to bring that back down?" Adams retorted with a predatory overtone to her voice.

He shrugged. "To be honest, I didn't think people would line up like that."

The Sheriff scoffed, "A businessman like you didn't think Martha Kent's prize winning preserves and pies would generate interest? You'll have to do better than that." She took another gulp from her cup. She glanced toward Clark and Martha opening the truck's tailgate. "Speakin' of Mrs. Kent, that looks like her now with Clark."

"Maybe we can give them a hand? That way we can get set up and move the line? It would be more constructive than this. Right?" Lex offered up along with a sip of his own.

"That would work," Adams conceded; her tone now turning sour. She headed toward the truck. "Afternoon, Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent."

"Good Afternoon, Sheriff," Martha replied while trying to be as pleasant as possible. "Is that the line?"

"Yup. Kind of nice to see people appreciatin' the good things," Adams complimented. "Just do me a favor. Maybe next time, you might organize this better. I'd hate to cite the Talon for fire code."

Martha nodded. "I'm sure Lex and Lana will take that under advisement. Maybe we can work together and reorganize things?"

"Now _that _is an humdinger of an idea!" Adams turned to Lex. "See what happens when one has down home _common sense_, Lex?"

Lex shot both teens a glance conveying 'it's not worth it'. He cleared his throat. "Now you're underestimating Mrs. Kent, Sheriff. Yes she has that common sense. She also has a sharp business mind. Just ask my father."

"Lex." Martha frowned not wanting to get into the matter any further.

"Really? And here I thought you were just a farmer. Guess there are lots of layers," Adams conceded. "Maybe you all might want to come up with a new plan. Meantime you can sell these and get things back under control?"

"They'll be gone fast, Sheriff Adams. Sorry," Lana apologized.

"I'm sure. Just get this under control, Folks. I'll be back in an hour. Have things back to normal. I wouldn't want to cut into your profits now. Would I?" Toodle Loo now." With a slight wave, she walked toward her patrol car.

"That woman loves to make something out of nothing," Lex griped.

"At least there are no nine irons around," Clark quipped with a slight smirk.

Lex chuckled. "I think I learned my lesson. I don't want another Helen in my life. Do I? Come on." He picked up one of the four boxes of jars. "Let's get this all inside. I want to move these people along before she gets any ideas."

"I never thought people would want your preserves like this, Mrs. Kent. I'm sorry we suggested it," Lana apologized.

"It's all right, Lana. I think our enthusiasm got the better of us all." Martha considered the line. She knew her neighbors valued her cooking acumen. "Still Sheriff Adams had the right idea. We should get better organized. Lex, I know Jonathan might not care for it. Maybe though we can have a discussion?"

"Discussion?" Clark wondered.

"Relax, Clark. I know what your Mom's getting at." Lex picked up a jar and nodded. "I think this would be a great investment for everyone involved. Let's get through this first. Then we can talk about meeting future demand." He set the jar back in the box. "Maybe we can each take one? Miranda's set up a table off to the side. We'll get these sold and see what happens." He smirked. "I think this could be the start of something great. Looks like those runs to Wichita and Crater Lake paid off."

"Seems like it," Martha concurred. "How about it, Lana? I know you have a lot going on with school and the Talon. I'd like to work with you if you're good for it."

Lana looked to Clark. Receiving the affirmation there, she nodded. "I'd like that too, Mrs. Kent. Lex and I can plan between that and here. If we pitch in together, we can get it done."

"That's _exactly _what I wanted to hear," Lex declared as they headed toward the set table. As he led them past the lined up customers, he added, "Hi, Everyone! Just give us a minute."

Clark looked at Lana and then his mother. _What have we gotten ourselves into?_

[Twenty Minutes Later]

Lana sighed while watching a happy woman head toward the parking lot with the last jar of strawberry preserves. The supplies had lasted just long enough to satisfy everyone. The customer numbers returned to normal. In addition, counter sales spiked as well.

It seemed that the sweets and coffee _could _go together after all.

_Maybe with the right organization, everything can work out, _she told herself. She knew that many college admission officers loved entrepreneurial endeavors. Granted she was involved heavily in the Talon. Still, if a canning operation was kept small, maybe Martha and she could keep it going?

"That went better than we thought. Still can't believe it," Clark declared. He took a draught from his cup.

"What's not to believe, Clark? Your mother has a great product. We just never had the promotional effort before. It worked out." Lex raised his cappuccino cup. "To a worthy effort, Everyone. Nice job."

"Don't forget Pete and Samantha. They helped too," Lana chimed in.

"It was a true team effort, Lex. At least we covered our expenses and made some profits," Martha assessed. "That'll help convince Jonathan." She sucked in a big breath. "Sheriff Adams had a point. If we're going to continue this, we'll have to consider better strategy. That means all of us."

"I want to help, Mom. I know Lana's busy here. Mr. Reynolds still wants me to do an extracurricular activity. If someone can show me what to do, we can keep going?" Clark proposed.

"It's going to be a lot of work, Clark. I know you're capable. You'll have to do it though on top of your schoolwork and chores," Martha pointed out.

"I know, Mom. I can do it," Clark insisted.

"I can work with you too, Clark." Lex rubbed the Plaid One's shoulder. "Another part of the dream tradition lives on."

_We can do this! _Lana gulped from her cup.

Another endeavor launched…..


	45. Two Years Later

Conclusion [Two Years Later]

_Natura's _cycle completed two more seasonal turns. Winter blistered the prairies with snows and driving winds. The warmth returned with its flowers and birds. Farmers planted, raised and then harvested their crops.

Events progressed as well. Lana and Martha collaborated with Lex on the new business model for the preserves. Clark, when he wasn't doing schoolwork, chores or learning from Jor-El, ran all over the region checking out the best orchards and fields for the canning business' fruit. Alicia, thanks to her newly-discovered teleporting ability, would contribute to the cause as well. Miranda oversaw the daily operations on an increasing basis. Lex invested in an addition to the farmhouse adding stoves, ovens and storage facilities. And most importantly, Clark and Lana in the midst of all of this excitement, found time to graduate from Smallville High, undergo the Joining and get married as well.

Seemed like everything was coming together….

[Cowache Caves]

Lana considered the walls' pictographs. Since Jor-El had raised her to full Kryptonian status a year prior, she'd pressed through the accounts and histories therein. Needless to say, they made her head spin. She remembered the Cowaches' legends from Pathfinders of course. Still these narratives delved farther into the stories than she could've imagined. Consequently, in the few spare moments she could manage, she read, read and read some more.

In the dim lighting, her bracelet and wedding ring sparkled in sync signaling the union of Earthly and Kryptonian heritages.

_You have learned everything I can teach you here, _Jor-El declared. _Soon Kal-El and you will need to continue your education._

She nodded. She knew the three months after Christmas would be spent in that fashion. _At least Miri, Mom, Dad and Lex can keep things going._

_Kal-El should spend more time here, _Jor-El griped.

She shrugged. _He'd like to, Jor-El. He's been taking on more with the business and the farm so I can get here. It's a balancing act._

_I'll be there, _Clark broke in. _I wanted to get this round of stuff done with the Talon and the canning. Speaking of which, I brought something to the cemetery. Want to see?_

_The new labels came in? YES! _She pumped her fists. _I'll be right there! _She turned to Jor-El. _I'l be back._

_I know you will. It's Kal-El I worry about, _Jor-El retorted.

She rolled her eyes. Then she rushed out of the caves in a super speed blur heading for the road beyond.

_BALANCE REQUIRES BOTH SIDES TO GIVE SOMETHING, KAL-EL, _Jor-El admonished. He hoped that his son was indeed realizing that very thing….

[Smallville Cemetery]

Clark set the hedge trimmers down on the grass beside his boots. He gazed upward at the yellows and reds burning in the trees' canopies overhead. He enjoyed Autumn's first refreshing breeze allowing it to cool his skin. He marveled at what the previous two years had brought for changes. He had to admit that he barely recognized himself in certain ways. Rather than a boy, he was now a graduate, Lana's husband and a businessman. He was carving out a niche between Earth and Krypton.

Despite what Jor-El carried on about, he was well aware of his responsibilities. He struggled with priorities and time management given the demands on his time. In that regard, he'd gone there to tend to his in-laws. He mowed the grass around Louise's site. He trimmed and cleaned off Lewis and Laura's flat stone. _I am into balance despite what Jor-El thinks. I respect everything! _He patted his backpack. _I have a handle on tradition! _His hair billowed from a sudden kick up in the breeze. From the sensations across the Link, he smiled.

Lana came to a stop about ten feet away from him. "So, _Mr. Kent, _what have you been up to?"

"Who me?" He motioned to the trimmers. "I was straightening up around Louise's and your parent's stones. Lex brought over the new labels. I wanted to leave one with your parents."

She arched an eyebrow. "And you're keeping me in suspense?"

"I thought you'd like to know about the commitment to our families, Lana," he rebutted albeit with a jab for her (and by extension, Jor-El).

She coughed. "Clark, I know you're devoted. And I really appreciate what you've done here. I know Mom, Dad and Aunt Louise appreciate that. Maybe we can visit Ryan and Kyla's sites too. However…I still want to see that jar."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine." He reached into the knapsack and pulled out the new jar. The label had a soft pink background with the brand "L and M Fine Preserves" emblazoned in blue letters centered toward its top margin. "I know it doesn't have any in it. Still your Mom and Dad can fill it with whatever they want. Lex wanted to know what you think."

"It's great! We have an even better design! With the big stores looking at this, I just hope we can make enough," she declared.

He hugged her shoulders with her left hand. "What was it that someone said to me? If we open up to each other, we can do a lot? I wonder who that was?"

She snorted. "I wonder too, Clark. Glad you know how to follow advice for a change." She leaned closely against him. "I love you."

"And I you. Thanks for being so patient as I learned to open up to everything. This tradition stuff is hard," he pointed out.

"I know. All part of being the good partner." She kissed his forehead. Then she placed the jar by the gravesite. "Hi, Mom. I know it's not the first jar from our business. Still it could be the design that springs us forward. Thanks for showing Momma Kent how to make preserves and laying the groundwork for all of these wonderful connections. Through it all, we've all gained so much. We all miss Dad and you, Mom. Just know your love and warmth made this possible. Thanks." She kissed her hand and lightly touched the stone with it.

"Nice piece," he complimented.

"It's true though. We've got more to do for both here and Krypton. No time like the present, right?" She picked up the trimmers. "Bet I beat you." She grinned and streaked away toward the farm.

He shook his head. _I've created a monster. _He hefted his backpack and disappeared in a super speed streak. His breeze caused several colored leaves to drift earthward but he didn't care. He headed for better collaborations and growth.

After all nobody is an island. Now are they?

THE END


End file.
